A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Amendment (No Jab No Pay Repeal) Bill 2025

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (09:20): Unfortunately, the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Amendment (No Jab No Pay Repeal) Bill 2025 is another example of elements of the Liberal Party falling over themselves to out-One Nation One Nation. We've seen that occur with the Liberal Party following One Nation on illegal tobacco policy and migration policy, and now we see it on health matters as well.

What's happening here is that this bill that Senator Antic introduced is seeking to repeal a law that was put in place by a Liberal-National Party coalition government—that's right: Senator Antic's own party, under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The only way this bill has even been brought on for debate today is through the generous donation by Senator Babet of his allotted time to the Liberal Party.

It's pretty clear that Senator Antic's party didn't want this debated, and he's had to take up the time that would normally be allocated to Senator Babet. That begs the question of whether the Liberal Party even wants Senator Antic in its ranks anymore. Are they actually happy to have a vaccine sceptic in their party who was literally cheered on by One Nation senators during his speech?

Senator Antic has not only taken over the Liberal Party in South Australia but is on track to become its president in South Australia. That is what the Liberal Party of Australia has become. The Albanese Labor government's position is clear: we have no time for those seeking to reduce vaccination rates in Australia, because let's remember—childhood vaccination saves lives.

Vaccines are a highly effective, safe and evidence based way of protecting children from and reducing the severity of serious preventable diseases such as whooping cough, measles and more. What this bill would do if it was passed through the combined support of elements of the Liberal Party and One Nation is reduce vaccination rates and increase the risk and likelihood of diseases like whooping cough, measles and more.

That's what this bill would do. Delaying or not accessing the recommended vaccinations under the childhood vaccination schedule could risk a child catching a disease and becoming very sick. Some vaccine preventable diseases cannot be cured and lead to lifelong infection, lengthy hospital stays and the development of other health problems.

Childhood vaccinations have greatly reduced and prevented a significant number of deaths since their introduction in Australia. Many of these vaccines work best when herd immunity is achieved because vaccinations, of course, don't just protect kids who are vaccinated; they reduce the risk of disease for other kids that arises from unvaccinated kids mixing in childcare centres and other places.

Without high vaccination rates, preventable diseases can spread more easily and put more vulnerable people at risk. This is why the government provides a range of incentives and program arrangements to encourage and support parents, carers and families keeping up to date with the recommended vaccine schedule. No-one is forcing children to be vaccinated in Australia if their parents do not consent.

All that the existing law does is provide incentives through the social security system to boost vaccination rates. Of course, there are already exemptions available if there is a recognised medical exemption or where vaccination would pose an unacceptable risk to the child or another person. But, given the strong evidence supporting the benefits of immunisation, expanding the list of reasons for exemptions is not something we're prepared to entertain.

It's worth reflecting, in conclusion, on the massive strides that Australia has made in terms of the health of our citizens through higher vaccination rates. That is the reason that we have seen far fewer cases of diseases like whooping cough, measles and chicken pox—all those kinds of diseases, some of which can be deadly and some of which can be seriously inconvenient and cause other health problems.

It is incredibly disappointing to see elements of the Liberal Party, as they have on so many other policy issues, now teaming up with One Nation on health issues in a way that would actually put the health of Australian children at risk. One Nation and elements of the Liberal Party might be up for that, but we are certainly not.