It's nice to occasionally have the chance to acknowledge a good news story from the politicians. Good news doesn't usually last long in the media but this story is literally a matter of life or death. Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison have done the right thing by putting pressure on parents to get their children immunised.
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Parents should not have to be told that they have an obligation to ensure that their children receive vital vaccines, but sadly some parents can't put aside their own irrational prejudices. And if they refuse to ensure their children are vaccinated then the government is entitled to impose a cost on those parents by reducing their welfare payments.
The advice that non-vaccination is becoming more prevalent is enough reason for the government to act. The numbers have increased from 15,000 children under seven not vaccinated to about 39,000. I understand that if the immunisation rate is about 96 per cent then the risk of an epidemic is limited, but if it drops to say 90 per cent then the rate of infection can spiral upwards very quickly. It is one of those situations where it's important to remain vigilant.
This issue has arisen before.
The story started in 1989, when a meeting of state and federal governments in the Hawke years agreed to transfer responsibility for immunisation back to the states. Some states managed the program better than others. By 1993 there were measles epidemics in western Sydney. By 1995-96 there was an obvious problem with falling immunisation rates.
Dr Michael Wooldridge MP understood the issue and was good at explaining practical health issues. He raised awareness of the problem and then he drafted the Coalition policy on immunisation for the 1996 election. He campaigned on the issue as well as ensuring his marginal seat. John Howard made him health minister and he then implemented a series of reforms including incentives and monitoring. It was a big task because some of the numbers on immunisation had fallen to Third World levels. Measles rates were worse in Australia than China.
It was a classic case of a good minister who knew what he wanted and knew how to fix the problem. And he had the support of John Howard.
The Wooldridge program was so successful that in the month of October in 1998 there was not a single case of measles; the best result since the arrival of the First Fleet.
Normally if people want to do silly things, I'd say let that be on their own head, but in this case the refusal of vaccinations is a decision parents make, not the children. In family law, the courts are at times required to have the child's interests separately represented because the parents' interest may not be in the best interests of the child. Vaccination is a case in point because very young children are at risk; not the parents who are the decision makers.
The facts are that vaccinations protect children in more than 95 per cent of cases. Vaccinations cover measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and polio. While the prospect of polio is nothing like what it once was, it would be a tragedy for the victims of polio if the protection was not provided as a result of the failure of government to act in a timely manner.
The current move is important because, as our past experience shows, it is easy for governments to take their eye off the ball.
It should also be said that Labor is supporting the measure, although not even Mr Shorten could be so negative as to stand in the way of the welfare of children.
Of course irrational behaviour is hardly new. It's certainly not uncommon among the Greens. It is disturbing that the head of the Townsville Greens, Gail Hamilton, has been reported in theTownsville Bulletin as being pro anti-vaccination.
To his credit, Greens Senator Dr Richard Di Natale has taken a strong position in support of vaccination over some years. As a medical doctor he knows what he is talking about and he has openly condemned groups like "Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network". Greens leader Bob Brown was interested in the debate but gave too much support to the anti-lobby by making available his office resources on the grounds that people were entitled to "freedom of choice and information". Of course, in some quarters those words are just a front for the anti-lobby. Queensland's Hamilton has, in the past, been a Green candidate for both federal and state elections.
What is needed now is a clear commitment from Greens leader Christine Milne that the Greens are not giving tacit support to some of its anti-vaccination supporters.
Peter Reith was a Howard government minister and is a Fairfax Media columnist.
