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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1165 asked in the Legislative Council on 22 October 2020 by Hon Jacqui Boydell

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

VACCINATION RATE — CHILDREN

1165. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:

My question is asked on behalf on Hon Martin Aldridge, who is absent on urgent parliamentary business.

I refer to page 310 of budget paper No 2 relating to outcomes and key effectiveness indicators of child immunisations.

(1) What assessment has been undertaken relating to the efficacy of the Public Health Amendment (Immunisation Requirements for Enrolment) Act 2019 and its impact on childhood immunisation rates?

(2) How many children have been refused enrolment since the assent of the legislation in —

(a) a school;

(b) a community kindergarten; and

(c) a childcare centre?

(3) How many immunisation certificates have been issued to date by the Chief Health Officer?

(4) How many children have fallen within a class of exemption as prescribed by the regulations?

Hon ALANNA CLOHESY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) To date, no formal assessment has been made regarding the efficacy of the Public Health Amendment (Immunisation Requirements for Enrolment) Act 2019. Provisional data suggests that immunisation rates for children who turned five years of age were stable from 2018 to 2019, the year the legislation came into effect. A formal evaluation of the impact of the act on immunisation rates is planned for 2021.

(2) Data on the number of children who have been refused enrolment is not collected by the Department of Health and is not a requirement of the act.

(3) To date, one immunisation certificate has been issued by the Chief Health Officer.

(4) Of the 570 children with an immunisation status of ''not up to date'' enrolled between 1 January and 31 March 2020, when audited on 30 June 2020, 79, or 13.9 per cent, were on a catch-up schedule; 102, or 17.9 per cent, met one of the categories for exemption as prescribed by the regulations; and 389, or 68.2 per cent, were enrolled with incomplete information on eligibility for an exemption.

To address the high proportion of children enrolled with incomplete information provided on eligibility for an exemption, an assessment of the current understanding of persons in charge of schools and childcare services is currently underway.