19 May 2013

NSW bill would ban non-vaccinated pupils

12:05 pm on 19 May 2013

Legislation to be introduced by the state opposition in New South Wales would give preschools and childcare centres the right to ban non-vaccinated children from attending.

Labor leader John Robertson proposes to introduce amendments to the Public Health Act which would give early childhood centres the right to refuse kids who have not had their shots.

AAP reports some parts of NSW have high rates of non-vaccinated children. There are also "anti-vaxers" who oppose vaccination.

Mr Robertson said the move will remind those who had forgotten to fully vaccinate their children to do so.

He also said parents who chose not to vaccinate their children were putting the lives of other kids at risk.

"This shouldn't be about the alternative wishes of parents who choose to ignore the advice of (the) doctor," he said in a statement on Sunday.

"Parents who choose not to vaccinate aren't just putting their own children at risk, they are putting other people's innocent children at risk of preventable diseases as well.

"There is quite simply no reasonable argument against childhood vaccination," Mr Robertson said.