ANTI-VAX SKIN DEEP

Health Minister slams Kuranda presentation

ANTI-VAXXERS have been criticised for “new levels of stupidity” after telling a meeting in Far North Queensland “darker-skinned people” are most at risk from vaccine reactions.

The Australian Vaccination-Sceptics Network (AVN) visited Kuranda, in the state’s far north, this month as part of a tour of Queensland for screenings of the controversial film Vaxxed, which blames immunisation for autism.

Kuranda has a significant indigenous population and video footage of the evening, available online, shows two Aboriginal women delivering a Welcome to Country before the screening.

AVN president Tasha David later told the audience she was of Samoan descent, and then warned: “Once you see this movie, you’ll see it is the darker skin people who have the most adverse reactions to these vaccines.

“It is our people who are getting hit. It’s up to us to get out there and educate our people. They need us to lead the way. All we’re hearing is what the white man is saying and it’s not right. They are not looking after our people at all.”

Data shows Queensland immunisation coverage for one- to five-year-olds rose last financial year, including for Aboriginal children.

Indigenous five-year-olds have better immunisation rates than the general population with 96.2 per cent, compared to 94.5 per cent.

Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick described Ms David’s comments as “reprehensible”, adding there was “absolutely no evidence” to support her claims.

“The way the anti-vaccination lobby preys on people’s fear of illness is shameful,” Mr Dick said.

Mr Dick said vaccination was strongly supported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and indigenous health services.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland can be proud that by age five, indigenous children have a higher rate of immunisation than non-indigenous five year olds,” he said.

Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon said Ms David’s claims reached “new levels of stupidity”.

Former AVN president Meryl Dorey, who attended the Kuranda meeting with Ms David, said they had been invited by a local group involved with four Aboriginal communities.

“We didn’t target them, they asked us to come there,” Ms Dorey said.