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Australian doctor loses license after sharing pro-life social media posts
An Australian doctor has allegedly been stripped of his license to practice medicine because of his social media posts that advocate against both abortion and gender-related surgeries.
Dr. Jereth Kok, a general practitioner, was found guilty of professional misconduct by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Kok’s license was suspended in 2019 and remains revoked after a tribunal said posts he made on social media violated professional standards.
In the posts, which spanned a decade, Kok spoke strongly against abortion, calling it a “massacre.”
The tribunal said Kok’s posts disparaged abortionists in Australia.
Kok’s supporters say the ruling is a violation of his free speech.
Dr. Jereth Kok was found guilty of professional misconduct after he shared social media posts that were deemed “offensive” by VCAT. These included pro-life posts and satirical memes and posts from outlets including the Babylon Bee. None of Kok’s patients complained about the posts.
“The Tribunal acknowledged his posts weren’t directed at patients. They occurred outside the clinic. Still, he was declared unfit to practise medicine. The Tribunal ruled that his conservative beliefs, even shared to a limited audience, violated professional standards,” Australian writer Kurt Mahlburg tweeted, adding, “These weren’t hate-filled rants. They were often thoughtful, sometimes funny, and always driven by conviction and faith. You decide if they justify career-ending punishment.”
Many of the posts written by Kok were strongly pro-life; he described abortion as the “massacre of babies” and abortionists as “butchers” and “serial contract killers.” He specifically addressed this in his testimony to the tribunal.
“I believe that life and personhood begin at conception,” he said. “I abhor the way our society conceals the truth about abortion by using deceitful euphemisms.”
Kok removed many of the posts the tribunal found offensive, but it didn’t matter. “The boundary between a doctor’s personal and public profile can be blurred,” the tribunal ruled. “As a doctor, you need to consider the effect of your public comments.”
Kok was represented by the Human Rights Law Alliance (HRLA), which noted that the actions of VCAT amount to a political witch hunt based on Kok’s personal beliefs. “Despite Dr Kok never receiving a complaint of discrimination or differential treatment from any of his patients, the Medical Board exercised emergency powers to investigate over ten years of his internet history and pick out potentially offensive comments,” the HRLA said in a press release. “The investigation was conducted over 3 months without Dr Kok’s knowledge and he was given a week to provide his defence.”
Additionally, this is a chilling threat against all pro-life doctors in Australia, who now know they can be barred from practicing medicine for speaking openly about their pro-life beliefs.
“For Christian professionals – and indeed for any professional who holds views outside the progressive mainstream – the implications are serious,” the HRLA said. “This decision is disappointing to Dr Kok, who was suspended over six years ago and has lost his career. But the ramifications extend much further to all Australians, particularly those who work in a regulated profession. The decision raises concerns about whether Australia will continue to allow employers, regulators, and government to exercise power over free speech and the expression of personal, political, and religious opinions.”
The HRLA is considering how to appeal the ruling, with the case returning to VCAT for further proceedings in September.
Follow Live Action News on Facebook and Instagram for more pro-life news.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Australian doctor loses license after sharing pro-life social media posts
An Australian doctor has allegedly been stripped of his license to practice medicine because of his social media posts that advocate against both abortion and gender-related surgeries.
Dr. Jereth Kok, a general practitioner, was found guilty of professional misconduct by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Kok’s license was suspended in 2019 and remains revoked after a tribunal said posts he made on social media violated professional standards.
In the posts, which spanned a decade, Kok spoke strongly against abortion, calling it a “massacre.”
The tribunal said Kok’s posts disparaged abortionists in Australia.
Kok’s supporters say the ruling is a violation of his free speech.
Dr. Jereth Kok was found guilty of professional misconduct after he shared social media posts that were deemed “offensive” by VCAT. These included pro-life posts and satirical memes and posts from outlets including the Babylon Bee. None of Kok’s patients complained about the posts.
“The Tribunal acknowledged his posts weren’t directed at patients. They occurred outside the clinic. Still, he was declared unfit to practise medicine. The Tribunal ruled that his conservative beliefs, even shared to a limited audience, violated professional standards,” Australian writer Kurt Mahlburg tweeted, adding, “These weren’t hate-filled rants. They were often thoughtful, sometimes funny, and always driven by conviction and faith. You decide if they justify career-ending punishment.”
Many of the posts written by Kok were strongly pro-life; he described abortion as the “massacre of babies” and abortionists as “butchers” and “serial contract killers.” He specifically addressed this in his testimony to the tribunal.
“I believe that life and personhood begin at conception,” he said. “I abhor the way our society conceals the truth about abortion by using deceitful euphemisms.”
Kok removed many of the posts the tribunal found offensive, but it didn’t matter. “The boundary between a doctor’s personal and public profile can be blurred,” the tribunal ruled. “As a doctor, you need to consider the effect of your public comments.”
Kok was represented by the Human Rights Law Alliance (HRLA), which noted that the actions of VCAT amount to a political witch hunt based on Kok’s personal beliefs. “Despite Dr Kok never receiving a complaint of discrimination or differential treatment from any of his patients, the Medical Board exercised emergency powers to investigate over ten years of his internet history and pick out potentially offensive comments,” the HRLA said in a press release. “The investigation was conducted over 3 months without Dr Kok’s knowledge and he was given a week to provide his defence.”
Additionally, this is a chilling threat against all pro-life doctors in Australia, who now know they can be barred from practicing medicine for speaking openly about their pro-life beliefs.
“For Christian professionals – and indeed for any professional who holds views outside the progressive mainstream – the implications are serious,” the HRLA said. “This decision is disappointing to Dr Kok, who was suspended over six years ago and has lost his career. But the ramifications extend much further to all Australians, particularly those who work in a regulated profession. The decision raises concerns about whether Australia will continue to allow employers, regulators, and government to exercise power over free speech and the expression of personal, political, and religious opinions.”
The HRLA is considering how to appeal the ruling, with the case returning to VCAT for further proceedings in September.
Follow Live Action News on Facebook and Instagram for more pro-life news.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
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·🚨 An Aussie doctor has been found guilty of professional misconduct. Not for harming patients. But for posting Christian views, including memes & satire from @TheBabylonBee, on social media. Yes, that can now cost you your medical licence in Australia. Meet Dr Jereth Kok 🧵
🚨 An Aussie doctor has been found guilty of professional misconduct. Not for harming patients. But for posting Christian views, including memes & satire from @TheBabylonBee, on social media. Yes, that can now cost you your medical licence in Australia. Meet Dr Jereth Kok 🧵
