Recently, Australian government Prime
Minister Tony Abbott announced that from January 2016, parents who refuse to vaccinate their children can lose up to $11,000 of
welfare benefits a year under a new government policy. No jab, no pay.
"The overwhelming advice of those in the health profession is it's the smart thing and the right thing to do to immunise your children," Social Services Minister Scott Morrison told the press, adding that the decision had bipartisan support and was backed by the Australian Medical Association (AMA), which represents 27,000 doctors practising locally.
From AAP point of view, the number of parents who have taken the 'conscientious objection' attitude against vaccination has more than doubled over the past decade. While there is the concern
that children whose parents don’t need government payments might still
suffer from the ramifications of their parents’ political stance against
vaccinations, the thousands that the plan will help is justification
enough.
"Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health measures that we have," AMA President, Brian Owler, told the press agency. "Whatever we can do to increase vaccination rates is important."
"People just claiming some sort of loose, undefined
conscientious objection not to do the right thing by their children," Opposition Leader Bill Shorten added.
A small number of anti-vaccers will still can claim the right
to not vaccinate their kids on religious grounds, but the government
says the criteria for this will be stricter than before.
"Under the plan, recommended by the Productivity Commission in a recent inquiry into child care, parents who decide against immunisations could be up to $15,000 worse off per child," the AAP reports. "They would lose a childcare benefit of up to $205 a week, the childcare rebate of up to $7500 a year or the Family Tax Benefit A annual supplement of up to $726."Its good to see Australia do something socially progressive.
Source: Dailymail
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