Chris Dobney
The Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) will have to find a new name after the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) upheld a Fair Trading ruling that the name did not describe the network’s activities.
The Bangalow-based group has held the name since 1996 but the ADT ruled that it should choose a name that more directly reflects its anti-vaccination stance.
Minister for fair trading Anthony Roberts welcomed the decision, saying, Fair Trading had acted in the public interest by requesting the AVN change its name, based on claims the name is unacceptable under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009.
‘Fair Trading acted in this matter after receiving numerous complaints, including from the Australian Medical Association, that the AVN name was misleading given its overwhelming focus on the publication of anti-vaccination messages and information,’ Mr Roberts said.
‘The time has come for AVN to find a name which reflects its anti-vaccination stance.
‘This is about being open and upfront about what you stand for, not hiding behind a name which could mislead the community about a very significant public health issue.’
But the group has damned the decision, saying it was ‘never about the name’ and adding it ‘exemplified the current climate of government-sanctioned abuse and hatred of anyone who steps away from mainstream medical dogma’.
‘The member, in her judgment, specifically stated that the AVN is not anti-vaccine nor could the name of our organisation be classed as “undesirable”,’ the group said in a media release.
‘Despite this, or perhaps because of the incredible pressure which must have been brought to bear to withhold from the AVN the same justice which other groups and individuals might rightly expect, she has upheld the decision that we change our name.’
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has welcomed the decision, saying the group has been responsible for spreading ‘misinformation’.
‘Vaccination is very important and I know that decisions are never undertaken lightly by parents but if they want information they should be seeking it from a credible source such as their GP,’ AMA NSW president Brian Owler told ABC local radio this morning.
AVN launched the appeal after an internal review of the Fair Trading decision in February upheld it.
In March the tribunal president, Judge O’Connor, required the AVN publish a prominent consumer warning its website and Facebook page stating that Fair Trading had directed AVN to change its name because it regarded the name to be misleading and that the direction was being challenged before the Tribunal.
AVN has 28 days to lodge an appeal against yesterday’s decision.
Well, I look forward to the “friends of the Forrest ” having to change their name, they fundraise … and support logging!
Fair comment Michele … I wonder how these “notifications” come about and what manner of mainstream pressure would need to be brought to bear to change the “Friends of the Forest” to “Friends of Logging”! 🙂
You would need to lodge a formal complaint to Fair Trading like the AMA did
[A] disgrace ! Go AVN XXXXXX
Time for a change Luddites!
You’ve always got our support, Meryl – no matter what your name is! x
What is next: mandatory vaccination like in Brazil, where a parent can be sent to jail if does not vaccinate your child or send he/she to school?
What part of the decision is about compulsory vaccination, your argument is [false] and is called the “slippery slope” fallacy.
Perhaps AMA should be schanged to Australian Pharmaceutical Association
Democracy is dying by the day in Australia ! – Meryl you and your volunteers are a treasure – thank you for all the great work of keeping people informed.
Whatever name the AVN changes to, you have all assisted so many people over the years to be informed & make their own personal choices.
Long live the out of the box people.
When you say “informed” do you mean “lied to”?
The AVN can continue to operate under a different name, this decision is all about using a deceptive name and then doing a bait and switch.
These anti-science groups bring our whole area and lifestyle into disrepute and ridicule. the behaviour of protestors at the recent Byron fluoride debate was embarrassing.
Vaccines are safe unless you are one of the 0.001% of the population who has an allergy. Why forsake the benefits that 21st century gives us?
Fair enough. The name is misleading. And I agree with the comments above about friends of the forest and the AMA 🙂
What a joke! The (mis-named) Fair Trading has sought out the AVN to go after instead of addressing the issue throughout all incorporated groups. If its an issue then notify all groups and then assess all groups with so called misleading names.
The AMA president tells us to go to our GP instead of AVN or similar groups for advice. I am sure that if my GP felt that the vaccination schedule was too intense (or had another issue), and he/she said so to me, then the AMA would be on to the GP with threats of de-registration. Also I don’t think my GP could answer all my questions, for instance, about how many times the Pharma companies have been convicted of fraud etc and how much it has cost the companies through the courts worldwide (but the AVN can answer that).
Has there ever been another collaboration between industry and government as strong as that between the pharma groups and government? No wonder the government (and media) are going after anyone who doesn’t toe their line.
They only respond to the complaints lodged. If you want those other groups to change their name then… ummm… LODGE A COMPLAINT.
Australia that used to be a world example of freedom became one more member of the police-country association. I see the pattern: First the were prohibited to own guns, now they are prohibited to express themselves. Lenin and Stalin did it, Hitler did it, Pol-Pot did it. What is next? Burning the books not approved by the government? In North Korea, just a few weeks ago, 80 people were executed for the possession of bibles.
It is criminal to force people to undergo medical procedures. Vaccinations are medical procedures. That is why Dr. Mengele was on the run to the end of his life. Meryl Dorey is my hero.
So where in the judgement is anything said about compulsory vaccination?
This is all about the AVN using a name designed to deceive people, change the name to “Anti-vax L**** Network”… hey presto that reflects exactly the agenda of the AVN.