One of their first claims to be deployed: "It hasn't been passed as a law"
Another popular claim among anti-maskers is "It violates my human rights."
A third anti-masker theme is: "I don't consent."
A fourth claim is "I'll sue."
Associate Professor Beck says there is a common thread in what anti-maskers are saying.
"All of this seems to come from or have sort of affinities with the sovereign citizen movement. These people make these kinds of pseudo-legal arguments,and usually they make them to try and get out of parking fines or paying council rates or things like that. But this is a variation. Some of these people in the sovereign citizen movement think if you utter particular words or emphasise particular 'facts', it will somehow get you out of things."
To hear the full report click on the audio link above.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Find out what restrictions are in place for your state or territory.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at http://www.sbs.com.au/coronavirus
Listen to SBS Punjabi Monday to Friday at 9 pm. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.




