Meryl Dorey and her Anti Vaccination-sceptics Network can say whatever they like about their “junk science”, Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said.
But the Queensland government will be spending $3 million to “directly target” parents who choose not to vaccinate their children, behind the scenes.
The Sunshine Coast Daily reported that Ms Dorey and her group had paid to have a stand at the Sunshine Coast Healthy Lifestyle Expo, sparking outrage from those opposed to the AVN’s views and tactics in promoting its message.
Messages to the Expo have included “you should just die for supporting her” and “we are going to take you all down, all you natural therapist c****.”
Mr Springborg said Queensland Health would not be “myth busting” the group’s views on the day, with its focus instead on the government’s upcoming vaccination strategy.
“I just ask people to just look at what is on display here, there is no scientific legitimacy to it, there is no peer review support for it, this is just junk science,” Mr Springborg said.
“It is junk science and what it is, is people giving misleading information to the community.
“They are able, it is a free country, they can put their point of view, we can’t ban that and nor should we.”
The government has developed a new vaccination strategy to be released in coming months and Mr Springborg said he wanted to provide information directly to parents.
“That is why we are going to provide $3 million to hospital and health services across Queensland, so they can actually directly target those children who are not vaccinated, so they can go one on one, professionally with real medical evidence to convince those parents of the value of vaccinating their children,” he said.
“Having a blue with these people, whose information is completely wrong and way out there, on the day is not going to solve the problem.”
Source: Brisbane Times