Again – the website to refer to is http://vaccinationfacts.wordpress.com – The Perth Skeptics will be there from 6pm onwards at the coffee shop tonight at the library. Look for the Meetup.com sign and me!
The West Australian – Anti-Vaccine Forum Causes Row
A political row has broken out over the State Library’s decision to allow an anti-vaccination group to hold a public forum at its Northbridge premises tonight.
Two weeks ago, the Uniting Church had a last-minute change of heart and cancelled an Australian Vaccination Network forum scheduled to be held at one of its city properties.
The network’s spokeswoman, Meryl Dorey, told followers that network members in Perth had “excellent contacts with larger and better venues … and we are hoping to reschedule this talk for some time within the next four weeks”.
…Shadow arts minister John Hyde said the Barnett Government had opened the floodgates for any group to use the library’s facilities to push their agendas.
“Does this mean that the Liberal Party can hold a membership drive there, or for that matter the Ku Klux Klan or a bike gang?” Mr Hyde said.
He said the State Government should not have allowed the group to use the library to push its anti-vaccine message. “Why should a group that endangers the lives of WA children be allowed to speak and promote their cause at a taxpayer-funded venue dedicated to learning?” Mr Hyde said.
“Their dangerous propaganda which is putting children at risk of polio, smallpox, cholera and other preventable diseases should not be able to gain respectability by using the good name of the State Library.”
Yesterday, the chief executive of the State Library, Margaret Allen, refused to say how the group, which has been criticised by health authorities for discouraging parents from having their children vaccinated, was able to book the library for its forum.
Instead she issued a brief statement that said the library provided facilities and services to the community of WA as a whole. “Inevitably from time to time this may include interest groups with views that some may find controversial,” she said.
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I like the sound of that Mr Hyde fellow. Although, it’s better if he didn’t make the simple mistake of mentioning smallpox. And is there a vaccine against Cholera ?
Smallpox lol well I actually have a jab due to a suspected outbreak in the mid 70′s other than that Mr Hyde all good but no smallpox injections occur anymore.
Cholera vaccine yes there is one I think it is used in Vietnam it would have been nice if someone had informed him prior to his slip up.
I see Meryl took Mr Hyde’s comment out of context at the end.
Soon in schools in WA: Visiting experts on the human mind tell about the marvelous scientific method of mental health called Dianetics for Kids. Scientists will have no choice but to stand by and politely debate them as equals.
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