This much is clear: Australia’s strict vaccination laws are working — and they’re set to become even stricter. The state of South Australia has introduced legislation that would ban the enrollment of unvaccinated children in preschool and child care centers.
The proposal would set fines of up to 30,000 Australian dollars, or about $24,000, on centers that admit an unvaccinated child. Notably, parents who object to vaccination on philosophical or religious grounds would not receive exemptions.
Colloquially labeled “no jab, no play,” the push follows the approval of similar laws in the states of New South Wales and Victoria. Together, they’re a sign that the authorities may be losing patience with anti-vaccination forces.
“The under-immunization in some communities is of sufficient concern that we do need to raise the bar on what we require parents to do,” said Susan Close, South Australia’s minister for education and child development.
“There will be people who have, without any scientific validity, ideological concerns about immunization,” she added. “I’m not particularly interested in hearing an argument that isn’t based in science.”
