FURTHER UPDATE – Thanks to the Stop The Australian Vaccination Network Page on Facebook, Dorey outlines what her view of it is and more details are given as to how to thank the Uniting Church for this move!
I’d first learned of the efforts of Meryl Dorey to come to Perth, thanks to Dave the Happy Singer (fellow podcaster and member of the Skeptic Zone) earlier this month.
Since it was scheduled for tomorrow, I’d planned to see if I could attend after work and observe for myself what was going to be promoted.
For those of us in Perth, you’ll recall that this venue is very central – and from this mailout, is clearly aimed to promote misinformation, aimed specifically at parents (as per usual for the AVN!):
This seminar is for anyone who is concerned about their child’s health. If you have heard about the recent upsurge in childhood allergies, asthma, eczema, autism and behavioural problems and want to know how vaccines are associated with these conditions in the medical literature, please come along.
Date Friday, May 14th 2010
Venue: Wesley Quarter, Uniting Church in the City Centre, Level 1, 97 William Street, Perth.
But not so fast, Meryl!! Dr Rachael Dunlop summarises the situation and developments are not in the AVN’s favour!
A letter has just been released about the matter – well done to the Uniting Church in my town!
Dear all,
There have been concerns raised by a number of prominent church members who are experts in the field of ethics and public health who have advised me that the message promoted by the Australian Vaccination Network is not in line with the ethos and values of the Uniting Church in Australia.Therefore, after consultation with the chair of church council, I would like to inform you that no Uniting Church in the City venue is being made available to the Australian Vaccination network for tomorrow night’s meeting.
This experience has prompted me to review the Uniting Church in the City’s policy on community use of UCIC space. We will be more closely examining the ethos and values of all groups that seek to use our space in the future.
Regards,
Andy Corkill
Mission Development Officer
Uniting Church in the City
As Dave said, there is ‘a good chance Dorey’s on the plane *now* and doesn’t know that she has no venue, just over 24 hours before the event and 4,000km from home’. Here’s hoping that the anti-health, anti-vaccination network do not get a second chance!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Per the AVN mailout, they got the cancellation call just before boarding and didn’t in fact fly to Perth: the event is cancelled rather than relocated.
They are trying to rearrange in a few weeks.
Pity, there’s a good chance of getting disease packing in like sardines with a Perth bound horde of AVN types.
Kudos to the Church council for considering both the ethics and health aspects of hosting an AVN event in their venues. I am appalled that Meryl Dorey want to spread further misinformation when she has been repeatedly shown evidence that directly contradicts her position.
Excellent. I agree, it’s good that the Church looked at the ethics as well as health – it clearly shows that it’s not just about the non-existent science, it’s about the lying and manipulation as well.
It looks like Australia is finally getting the message. Now if only you could import it to the USA!
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