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New bill forces Australian parents to vaccinate kids

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The Australian government plans to withhold child care and other payments from families that fail to immunise their children.

The "No Jab, No Pay Bill" introduced to Parliament on Wednesday would also remove a category of "conscientious objector" that allows parents to remain eligible for full government benefits despite not immunizing their children.

Families would lose up to 15,000 Australian dollars per child per year in tax and child care benefits from 1 January, 2016, unless their children are vaccinated.

Exemptions would apply only for valid medical reasons.

The legislation is likely to be passed by Parliament into law without any amendments.

Read more:

Different types of vaccines

Parents shunning newborns' vitamin shot 

New meningitis vaccine for African babies  

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