AN organisation that aims to discourage parents from vaccinating their children has been ordered to place a consumer warning on its websites and Facebook page.
NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts issued a formal order earlier this year that the Australian Vaccination Network change its name or be deregistered.
But the organisation attempted to thwart the minister's order by appealing in the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal.
Tribunal president, Judge O'Connor, responded to a bid by the AVN to stay proceedings on Friday by placing a number of conditions on the organisation.
A prominent consumer warning must be published on its websites and Facebook page by March 26.
It will state: "NSW Fair Trading has directed the AVN to change its name because it regards the name to be misleading.
"The AVN is challenging this direction and the challenge is currently before the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal."
The controversial group has been attacked by doctors and scientists for discouraging parents from vaccinating their children.
NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts said the action was in the interests of public health.
"The AVN's name does not accurately reflect the organisation's purpose and what it stands for, which is primarily to discourage the immunisation of children," he said in a statement on Friday.
"This is about being open and upfront about what you stand for, not hiding behind a name which could mislead the community about a very significant public health issue."
Mr Roberts said Fair Trading would pursue its case against the AVN at the tribunal's next hearing, saying its name should "more accurately describes its purpose".
A two-day hearing has been set for June 13 and 14.
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