AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NETWORK AND MS MERYL DOREY

OFFICIAL INVESTIGATIONS IN COURTS, TRIBUNALS, AND INVESTIGATIVE ORGANISATIONS

OFFICE REFERENCE CONCERNING FINDINGS RESULT

FEDERAL FMCA 625 AVN SUED CLAIM From the judgement: “13. This is a most unfortunate case. It should never
MAGISTRATES HANCOCK FOR DISMISSED have been brought.”
COURT AVN V BRONWYN DAMAGES
HANCOCK

14/10/2004

ABC MORNINGS DOREY’S ABUSE OF UPHELD Dorey “referred to statistics which suggested that whilst the rates of
COMPLAINTS 4 SEPT 2009 STATISTICS vaccination had increased, the number of cases had also substantially
11/11/2009 increased in the period 1991 to 2008. The statistics were drawn from
different data sets and related to different groups of children. Although
each individual statistic was in and of itself accurate and drawn from a
verifiable Government source, the comparative manner in which they
were presented was misleading. Further, the first vaccination rate statistic
was for the year 2001 but was presented as a vaccination rate for 1991.”
ABC ABC WEBSITE USE OF MERYL UPHELD Dorey “not an impartial or qualified provider of scientifically-recognised
COMPLAINTS 29/6/2010 DOREY IN vaccination information.” “the ABC acknowledged that the AVN was
INTERVIEW inappropriately described as a “watchdog” on the program website. The
term did not provide sufficient context to make clear that the organisation
is an anti-vaccination lobby group.”

ABC ABC WEBSITE USE OF MERYL UPHELD Ms Dorey “ was a spokesperson for an anti-vaccination lobby group and
COMPLAINTS 29/05/2010 DOREY IN not an impartial or qualified provider of scientifically-recognised
INTERVIEW vaccination information. “
 “AVN was inappropriately described as a “watchdog” on the program
website. The term did not provide sufficient context to make clear that the
organisation is an anti-vaccination lobby group. The website was amended
to describe the AVN as an “anti-vaccination lobby group”.
HCCC 09/01695 MEDICAL ADVICE COMPLAINTS REPORT ISSUED, PUBLIC WARNING PUBLISHED
07/07/2010 UPHELD RETRACTED BY SUPREME COURT
OLGR INVESTIGATION FINANCE MANY CANCEL CHARITABLE FUNDRAISING AUTHORITY
REPORT FINANCIAL CFA REINSTATED BY NEGOTIATION
18/10/2010 IRREGULARITIES
ABC ABC WEBSITE USE OF MERYL UPHELD Found Dorey’s “views are not accepted by mainstream health
COMPLAINTS 24/5/2011 DOREY IN professionals, that the AVN is a lobby group and that the representative
INTERVIEW has no medical qualifications.”
TGA 2012/04/022 AVN’S COMPLAINT Order: Withdrawal of representations, Withdrawal of advertisement,
16/08/2012 PROMOTION OF JUSTIFIED Publication of a retraction
BLACK SALVE AVN REFUSED TO COMPLY.

TGA THEN ISSUED A REGULATION 9 ORDER TO COMPLY ON 16/5/2013

AVN REFUSED TO COMPLY
TGA 2012/05/013 DOREY’S COMPLAINT Order: Publication of a retraction, Withdrawal of representations,
20/09/2012 PROMOTION OF JUSTIFIED Withdrawal of advertisement
BLACK SALVE DOREY REFUSED TO COMPLY
ADMINISTRATIVE 123128 RELEASE OF ORDER TO AVN’S APPEAL AGAINST NSW GOVT’S DECISION TO RELEASE DOCUMENTS
DECISIONS 13/03/2013 CORRESPONDENCE RELEASE REJECTED
TRIBUNAL BETWEEN FAIR DOCUMENTS DOCS AVAILABLE HERE
TRADING AND
AVN
ACMA 2012/1292 DOREY’S COMPLAINT DOREY’S CLAIMS FOUND TO BE FALSE.
22/04/2013 APPEARANCE JUSTIFIED WIN TV REQUESTED BY ACMA TO BROADCAST A CORRECTION
ON WIN TV NEWS WIN REFUSED TO COMPLY
HCCC HANSARD MEDICAL ADVICE NEW MINISTER FOR HEALTH ANNOUNCED NEW INVESTIGATION IN
29/05/2013 INVESTIGATION PARLIAMENT
ABC ABC WEBSITE USE OF MERYL UPHELD “in both interviews, the ABC found that the AVN representative (Dorey)
COMPLAINTS 23/01/2012 DOREY IN was not introduced with sufficient context to ensure listeners were not
INTERVIEW misled by her claims about the effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine.”
NSW LOCAL AVO APPLICATION AGREEMENT Dorey sought an order inter alia that “The defendant must not mention the
COURT AGAINST PERSON REACHED BY applicant in any online forum in any derogatory manner.” This part was
1 CONSENT not consented to.

NSW LOCAL AVO APPLICATION APPLICATION

COURT AGAINST PERSON DISMISSED Dorey sought an order inter alia that “The defendant must not mention the
2 applicant in any online forum in any derogatory manner.” Dorey appealed
to the Local Court but withdrew the appeal 2 days before hearing.
NSW LOCAL AVO APPLICATION APPLICATION Dorey sought an order inter alia that “The defendant must not mention the
COURT AGAINST PERSON DISMISSED applicant in any online forum in any derogatory manner.” Application was
3 refused by the magistrate, costs awarded against Dorey, approx $11,000.
ADMINISTRATIVE 133078 - AVN APPEALING AVN LOST DECISION OF THE DIRECTOR – GENERAL AFFIRMED.
DECISIONS AGAINST ORDER http://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/action/PJUDG?jgmtid=168432
TRIBUNAL TO CHANGE NAME
NSW FAIR Sunday Telegraph NEW Investigation revealed in Sunday Telegraph newspaper. Duration and
TRADING article INVESTIGATION results unknown at this stage..
16/06/2013 INTO FINANCES
TGA 2012/06/028 Living Wisdom UPHELD “T
15/11/2012 advertising for Order: Publication of a retraction, Withdrawal of representations,
“Total Care” and Withdrawal of advertisement
“Bio-Chelat” and AVN and DOREY REFUSED TO COMPLY
“DentaCare
Mouthwash”
HCCC HCCC WEBSITE MEDICAL ADVICE FOUND TO PUBLIC WARNING ISSUED. HCCC ADVISED THE AVSN TO CORRECT THEIR
30/04/2014 OFFER PUBLICATIONS, AND WARNED THAT THEY WILL MONITOR COMPLIANCE.
INCORRECT
AND
MISLEADING
ADVICE