NZ won't follow Australia with 'no jab, no pay' policy

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the Government did not believe it was necessary to cut benefits to parents who would not immunise their children. Photo / George Novak

The Government has ruled out revisiting a proposal to make immunisation a condition of the benefit despite steps in Australia to do so.

Australian parents who refuse to vaccinate their kids won't get taxpayer-funded childcare or welfare benefits under the federal Government's "no jab, no pay" policy.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the policy that denies benefits to anyone who does not immunise their child, unless they are exempted on medical or religious grounds.

But the New Zealand Government opted against a similar measure in 2012 because it believed immunisation should be parents' choice.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the Government did not believe it was necessary.

"We've made significant progress on improving immunisation rates over the last six years - we're now at an all-time high with 94 per cent of eight month olds immunised."

The Government had considered making immunisation a condition of the benefit when passing the welfare reforms in 2012 after the Welfare Working Group recommended it. However, then Social Development Minister Paula Bennett opted against it.

In her Cabinet Paper on the issue, she stated: "This decision should remain with parents because immunisation is a medical treatment. Removing the right to refuse medical treatment would be an unjustifiable breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act."

The reforms did impose other social obligations on beneficiaries, including enrolling children with a GP and completing the WellChild checks. Ms Bennett said such programmes had been effective in helping parents decide to immunise.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley said she agreed with that decision. She said so far no sanctions had yet had to be imposed for breaches of those 'social obligations' which also include enrolment in early childhood education. Parents' can have their benefits cut or stopped altogether for breaches.