Former senator Bob Brown removes his support for the Australian Vaccination Network Former Senator and Greens Leader Bob Brown has distanced himself from the Australian Vaccination Network after comments he made in a speech were taken out of context and posted to a blog. ONCE one of its most high-profile supporters, former Senator and Greens leader Bob Brown has now publicly abandoned the Australian Vaccination Network. The about-face comes 16 years after he was successfully lobbied by the AVN, and introduced amendments to legislation which allowed parents to register as conscientious objectors to compulsory vaccination without losing childcare payments. In 1997, Senator Brown gave AVN members access to his parliamentary office for two weeks, helping their efforts to lobby other MPs. Questioned by an anti-AVN doctor about whether he had reconsidered his position, Mr Brown replied in an email: "It is true that in the 1990s I endorsed the right of true conscientious objectors against compulsory vaccination. However my view then as now was that vaccination is in the interests of public health and should be promoted. My endorsement for conscientious objection does not extend to orchestrated campaigning against public vaccination and I have grown very concerned that upholding the right of conscientious objection has now become part of the campaign against public vaccination. Mr Brown has moved to distance himself from the AVN after selective quotes from his 1997 parliamentary speech were posted on a blog, claiming his backing. "I do not support AVN's campaign against public vaccination," he said. AVN President Greg Beattie said he was unaware of Mr Brown's email: "I've had no contact with Bob Brown. I'm surprised ... but he is probably not that well informed about our organisation.