Anti-vaccine lobby group back in WA
Anti-vaccine lobby group back in WA
An anti-vaccination group that sparked a political row in Perth last year is back in WA charging parents $15 for its public forums.
The Australian Vaccination Network held meetings in Busselton and Perth this week and will hold others in Jurien Bay and Geraldton next week. Last year, the Uniting Church in Perth refused to let the NSW group use one of its halls and the State Library came under fire when it let the group use one of its buildings instead.
The NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing also stripped the group, based at Bangalow near Byron Bay, of its charity status after health authorities found its information was biased and said its website should state that its claims were not medical advice.
Spokeswoman Meryl Dorey attracted criticism this year when she likened a court order for a child to be vaccinated to rape.
She wrote on the group's Facebook site it was "assault without consent and with full penetration" but was forced to apologise after some of her own supporters found the comments offensive.
But Ms Dorey claimed "strong support" for her group in WA yesterday and said the meetings were aimed at drawing attention to problems with vaccines for the flu, cervical cancer and whooping cough.
About 90 people, mostly parents of young children, had attended a forum in Floreat on Tuesday night.
She said parents were still not given all the information about vaccines, including side effects.
"I always say to people to go to their doctor and get information but get the other side as well so they can make a real decision about whether to vaccinate," she said.
Australian Medical Association WA president Dave Mountain said the group was trying to whip up anti-vaccine hysteria again.
"They are zealots who pick and choose bits of information to make it look like they're presenting real evidence," he said.
This led to parents refusing to get children and themselves vaccinated, which affected everyone, particularly the most vulnerable who benefited from herd immunity and, in that respect, they were a danger.Follow thewest.com.au on Twitter
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39 Comments
All very well, but parents refusing to get children and themselves vaccinated should isolate themselves from everyone. Their behavior is irresponsible and bordering on criminal. They should all be arrested and deported.
1 ReplyCorrection: Whilst the HCCC ruling was taken into account, the AVN was stripped of its charity status after the NSW OLGR investigation found that AVN had breached charitable fundraising laws and potentially misled the public.
ReplyThis article vilifies people who opt - as is their right - not to vaccinate. Vaccines are not above question. What sort of country do we live in when newspapers join with drug companies and governments seeking to take away people's rights by only providing half the story? While governments...
ReplyI note the conspiracy theories have already started on the comments page -"drug companies and governments seeking to take away people's rights..." Having the right to not vaccinate is like having the right to drink and drive. It is not a personal choice it endangers lives.
3 RepliesTo complete my post (above) - While governments around the world refuse to do one study comparing the health of vaccinated vs unvaccinated, the AVN will continue to let people know the information that you suppress.
ReplyFly - your comments are EXACTLY the reason the AVN must be stopped. There HAS been studies done into the health of vaccinated vs unvaccinated children. The results show a higher rate of vaccine preventable diseases in the unvaccinated, and no differences in other health outcomes. Please read the...
ReplyMaureen, the right to drink and drive was taken away after a public debate and a law was passed. There is no law requiring vaccination and there has never been a two-sided public debate.
ReplyPlease read the Mammamia blog post on vaccination recently and find the evidence of these trials so you stop bleating mistruths you've heard from the known liar, Meryl Dorey from the AVN. Maybe also google "Meryl Doreys trouble with the truth"........
ReplyAll of you bleating about how vaccination should be compulsory, are you insane? You can be as pro-vax as you like but do you really want to live in a world where you don't have control over medical procedures performed on your body? It's a slippery slope.
2 RepliesThe third world sees their kids die from deaseases that could be prevented from a simple vaccination. We in the west have become complacent because we don't see these deaseases anymore. Why would an educated person refuse to vaccinate their kids to save their health? Maybe 1 in a million may...
1 Reply