Australia: No vaccination, no money.

(Baonghean) - On Sunday, April 12th, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott warned that if families do not have their children vaccinated, they may lose their family allowance payments. Abbott declared, "No vaccination, no money."

This statement comes amidst a resurgence of diseases that had disappeared from European and American countries, such as measles. Furthermore, the number of parents opposing childhood vaccinations is alarmingly increasing. Therefore, authorities are concerned that these actions by parents will exacerbate health risks for children.

Vaccination is a measure that helps children avoid the risk of infection. Photo: AFP/Fayez Nureldine

Prime Minister Abbott explained that vaccination “is a very important public health measure.” It helps protect families and children from potential risks. The Prime Minister also presented an alarming figure regarding childhood vaccination rates in Australia. According to statistics, more than 39,000 children under the age of 7 in Australia have not been vaccinated by their parents, an increase of 24,000 cases in the past decade. From this, Mr. Abbott emphasized that “the choice not to vaccinate children is a medically unfounded act and these people should not receive subsidies from taxpayers.”

In Australia, the government provides an annual subsidy of up to A$15,000 (approximately US$10,700) per child. By targeting this subsidy, the Abbott government hopes to encourage more parents to have their children vaccinated.

Similar to many European and American countries, the reason why Australian parents are not vaccinating their children is related to the MMR vaccine – a vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella. In 1998, a study published in the British medical journal The Lancet suggested a possible link between MMR vaccination and autism. Although this article was later proven unfounded, it still caused significant anxiety, leading parents to decide against vaccinating their children.

Returning to Prime Minister Abbott's statement, the new government's plans are currently only draft legislation and require approval from the Australian Parliament before they can take effect. If approved by Parliament, the bill would come into force in 2016. However, the bill still allows parents to refuse vaccination and receive certain subsidies if they can demonstrate that their refusal is due to poor medical conditions or religious reasons.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Monde, April 12)