THE Greens have been forced to denounce a regional branch of the party, after it suggested vaccinations, not life-threatening diseases, were causing the deaths of children.

A Facebook post attributed to the Greens in Townsville was quickly taken down from the site yesterday, after it sparked outrage by claiming vital vaccines were putting children’s lives at risk.

The post called for a fresh debate about the need for vaccines, and claimed information had emerged which suggested there was a medical conspiracy around the safety of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine.

“Not one person died of Mumps, Measles, or Rubella in the USA last year, but over 100 kids are said to have died as a result of the vaccination,” the post said.

The Greens in Townsville did not respond to questions from News Corp Australia, but the party’s health spokesman Richard Di Natale slammed the group.

“The post on the Townsville Greens Facebook page was absolutely inconsistent with Greens policy and I understand it has already been taken down,” Senator Di Natale said.

He said the Greens were “a party of science” and would always advocate for an evidence-based approach to policymaking.

“As the Australian Greens Health spokesman and as a doctor I have always been very outspoken on the importance of vaccination,” he said.

“I have spoken in the Senate about the millions of lives saved by vaccination, one the most effective public health interventions in human history.”

The Facebook post came just days after News Corp Australia revealed the number of children whose parents had refused to give them vaccinations because of a contentious objection had climbed to an all time high.

Writer Lauren Dubois, from blog The-Thud.com, was one of the first to take issue with the post online.

“The fact that any one from any political party would come out with something like this is incredibly disappointing,” Ms Dubois said.

“The post might have been deleted but you can’t erase stupidity.”