Carl Skully immunisation The Australian 2005

John Stapleton

CLEARLY embarrassed by stories that he was not just some sort of lunatic vegetarian but that he did not believe in immunising his children, NSW leadership contender Carl Scully blamed the brutal ALP machine for the adverse propoganda. He took the unusual step yesterday of issuing a statement rejecting the stories that he did not support the immunisation of children.

``It's come to my attention that an envelope containing a paper I wrote about immunisation back in 1992 is being mailed - from an Eastern suburbs postcode - to all NSW ALP Caucus members,'' he said.

``Let me make it absolutely clear that long ago I changed my views on this issue. For many years now, I have endorsed the policy of the NSW Health Department to have all young children immunised.''

Mr Scully went on to say that if the members of the NSW ALP Caucus were interested in any other parts of his history deemed relevant to the leadership race, ``I'm offering to make available a geography assignment I did in Year 9, a crayon drawing from year 1 and some fingerprinting I did in Kindy. Caucus members should contact my office if they are interested.''

When The Australian asked to see these juvenile masterworks his spokesman said: ``I think you should recognise the sarcastic tone. You should appreciate sarcasm. He is not allowing himself to be intimidated by the machine.''

The spokesman said he did not know if Mr Scully's children were immunised and as a leadership contender the important issue was not his private views but that he supported Health Department policy.