An Australian doctor, who lost his medical licence after voicing anti-abortion views online, engaged in professional misconduct, the Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal has ruled.
Jereth Kok, an Evangelical Christian, had 11 years’ unblemished experience as a GP before the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) suspended him in 2019 for professional misconduct. Between 20 May 2010 and 15 October 2021, he made numerous posts on Facebook and Christians websites, included describing abortion doctors as “butchers” and “contract killers”; being transgender was a mental health issue; and doctors treating gender dysphoria was “medical butchery”.
Jereth denied misconduct but admitted some of the 85 posts were discourteous and fell short of the standards expected. He also accepted that while having strong views about the immorality of abortion, gender matters etc, he had not always communicated online in a respectful manner about other medical practitioners and the community.
The Tribunal agreed with the MBA that Jereth had engaged in professional misconduct. It concluded he had “denigrated, demeaned and slurred” abortion practitioners and those who treat gender dysphoria, and denigrated LGBT people.
A final decision as to Jereth’s future is in spring 2026 following a further hearing.
