Australian PM's legislative agenda threatened by division over COVID vaccine rules

FILE PHOTO: Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison gestures as he makes a statement at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain November 1, 2021. Alastair Grant/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's legislative agenda came under risk on Tuesday after a conservative lawmaker in his coalition government threatened to withhold support if the government does not abolish mandatory COVID-19 vaccine rules.

Australia's two largest states, New South Wales and Victoria, have banned unvaccinated people from entering places such as restaurants and shops, citing a threat to public safety, while also requiring that they work from home.