Australian press attack against non vaxxing parents

[Mirzam]

Rupert Murdoch's Press Bullies Australian Parents - While Human Rights Vanish Under Reactionary Australian Government Vaccine Policies

But now concerned Australian parents who want to do the best for their children’s health and protect them from hazardous products from fraudster drug companies and who do obtain an exemption are being targeted by the Murdoch’s media as if they are the criminals and fraudsters. An example is a just published news story in Murdoch’s group owned Australian Telegraph newspaper:

“Parents who dodge vaccinating their kids are pocketing thousands of dollars” Renee Viellaris The Daily Telegraph July 15, 2012 12:00AM

[purslaine]

I am confused.  

Do parents in Australia have to pay out of pocket for vaccines?

If not - why are they getting a stipend while non-vaxxing parents are not?

[Mirzam]

Parents have to have their children utd with vaccines in order to get child tax benefits. You can get a conscientious objection, but it must be signed by a doctor. There was a post about this, I think on this forum, a while back.

Herald Sun: Inject children or lose money (interestingly this article makes no mention of the waiver)

THE Federal Government will withhold more than $2100 in tax benefits for families who refuse to vaccinate their children.

The move is a drive by the Gillard Government to boost vaccination rates, with one in 10 Australian children not immunised.

It comes as part of a major shake-up of the national immunisation program which includes the introduction of more vaccines.

Immunisation Related Payments for Parents

To receive benefits without your child being fully immunised your healthcare provider needs to certify that:

• your child has a medical reason not to have a particular vaccination; or
• your child has had a disease and has a natural immunity; or
• a particular vaccine is unavailable.

If so, you will need to complete the Immunisation exemption: Medical contraindication form available on the Medicare Australia website with the assistance of your healthcare provider. This information will then be recorded with the ACIR.

You can also make a formal conscientious objection if you have a personal, philosophical, religious or medical belief that your child should not be immunised. You will need to complete the Immunisation exemption: Conscientious objection form available on the Medicare Australia website with the assistance of your healthcare provider. This information will then be recorded with the ACIR.

 

ETA: sorry I have no idea why the formatting is so whacky. 

[purslaine]

so….it is not some way of paying for vaccines - but a reward or financial incentive to vaccinate 

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

so….it is not some way of paying for vaccines - but a reward or financial incentive to vaccinate 

It's a penalty for not vaxxing.

[katelove]

I'm an Australian parent and I'm not "pocketing thousands". I wish I was. Ha!

The payment is one of a number of financial aid payments given to parents. It was linked to vaccination to encourage it but as anyone could get a conscientious objector form filled out it is hardly a true "payment for vaccination". I did the CO form recently and it was no big deal.

This is a media beat-up and little more. Of course the health minister is going to say all children should be vaccinated. That's current government policy. It's neither news nor a big secret.

The Daily Telegraph is a tabloid paper with a conservative bent. I for one am not surprised to see them publishing this sort of article. It's exactly the kind of thing their readers love to be outraged about.

[Mirzam]

I am sure a CO is relatively easy to come by. However, it wasn't even mentioned in the Telegraph piece. Tabloid or not, it is still a hit piece against non vaxing parents and it does take it toll. 

[purslaine]

Originally Posted by katelove 


The payment is one of a number of financial aid payments given to parents. It was linked to vaccination to encourage it but as anyone could get a conscientious objector form filled out it is hardly a true "payment for vaccination". I did the CO form recently and it was no big deal.
 

I am glad the CO form is no big deal.

Still...linking vaccination to money is not Ok in my book. 

Is there something I am missing?

Edited by purslaine - 7/15/12 at 6:41pm

[MamaMunchkin]

Just out of curiosity - any analogous incentive for breastfeeding, birth, or anything else related to parenting?

[katelove]

Originally Posted by MamaMunchkin 

Just out of curiosity - any analogous incentive for breastfeeding, birth, or anything else related to parenting?

There is something called the Baby Bonus which all parents get when they gI've birth to or adopt a child. It is about $5000 and is to help with the initial expenses associated with having a baby.

There are a few different daycare-related rebates and payments for those who use child care and there are payments for stay at home parents. These are both means tested but we are considered high income and I got about $4000 in my LOs first year.

Nothing related to breast feeding or the way in which you give birth.

[katelove]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

Originally Posted by katelove 

The payment is one of a number of financial aid payments given to parents. It was linked to vaccination to encourage it but as anyone could get a conscientious objector form filled out it is hardly a true "payment for vaccination". I did the CO form recently and it was no big deal.

 

I am glad the CO form is no big deal.

Still...linking vaccination to money is not Ok in my book. 

Is there something I am missing?

No I don't think you're missing anything. I agree it's not a good thing to have a payment linked to vaccination. I just wanted to clarify that it's not withheld from parents who chose not to vaccinate.

[japonica]

I'm in Australia too (resident for almost three years now).

There is a definite slant to the media to make it sound like parents who get CO forms are somehow abusing the system by collecting money for "vaccinating" parents when in fact we are just jumping through the hoops the government has set for us to collect our family tax benefit. It's a payment that has nothing to do with immunisation (unlike the former immunisation allowance or bonus or whatever it was called). This is a family tax benefit, for families who meet the residence and income requirements, and the government has stipulated that we must vaccinate our children (or get the CO) in order to receive it.

Honestly, I think it's ridiculous. I notice no one has tied it to smoking status or the like. Can you imagine...the government says you need to be a non-smoker to collect your tax benefit. But because it's vaccines, it's okay.