Anti-vaccine group accused of unauthorized fundraising

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDAug 5 2010

The Australian Vaccination Network is involved in controversy yet again. The Bangalow-based anti-vaccination group has been given a timeline of 28 days to answer to claims that it breached charitable fundraising legislation on several occasions. It was only last month that the Health Care Complaints Commission had accused AVN of spreading misleading information about the dangers of immunization through its website.

Now according to the New South Wales Office of Liquor and Gaming (OLGR), an audit shows that AVN conducted fundraising activities without permission, did not keep proper records and spent money without authority for a two-year period from 2007 to 2009. There were also possible breaches of the Charitable Trusts Act 1993 and these have been referred to the Department of Justice and Attorney General for investigation. There were also breaches of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991.

The OLGR recently visited the non-profit company's offices where its officers examined records and interviewed staff. A spokesman said, “We are asking them to address the breaches identified…They may want to put forward evidence defying these breaches or any sort of arguments for their future.”

Breaches of charitable fundraising legislation can lead to an organization or company being prosecuted in court. The AVN was granted a fundraising authority from July 5, 2002, to July 4, 2007. The authority was renewed on June 2 last year following a two-year lapse sources reveal. During the two year lapse period AVN asked for contributions to fund a pamphlet to be inserted in maternity gift bags called Bounty Bags. But the organizer of the gift bags knew nothing about the pamphlets. Vaccination Awareness and Information Service has also claimed that the AVN received donations in 2006 to conduct a vaccination testing program that never occurred.

In retaliation AVN released a statement yesterday saying it followed the audit process to the best of its capability and had co-operated with the OLGR ‘each step of the way’. They also said that they were “confident at the end of the auditing process they will be able to retain their charitable process” and at “no time throughout the due process have there been suggestions of fraud”. AVN president Meryl Dorey declined to comment further.