NSW Health Minister orders NSW Health to support ACA NSW's request

The NSW Health Minister, the Hon Brad Hazzard MP, has ordered his department to ‘hit urgency button’ to "ram through" regulatory changes before the NSW state election to close a vaccination to close a “loophole” allowing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to attend childcare without being vaccinated that was identified by the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW.

NSW Minister for Health, the Hon Brad Hazzard MP (Source: AAP)

Originally, the NSW Health previously said the department would move to fix the issue after next month’s state election, but Minister Hazzard said that was not acceptable.

“I have asked NSW Health lawyers to hit the urgency button and prepare the necessary regulatory changes this week for sign off by the Governor, which would close any remaining loophole around vaccination requirements for Aboriginal children in childcare,” the Minister said.

“NSW already has the highest vaccination rates in Australia for Aboriginal children of preschool age but we cannot be complacent.”

It comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed the Australian Childcare Alliance NSW had flagged concerns with the state government regarding an “inconsistency” in the law concerning vaccination requirements.

Under the Public Health Regulation 2012, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are exempt from providing certificates of immunisation before enrolment at childcare facilities.

However, NSW Health’s position states that indigenous children only be allowed a “temporary” exemption of up to 12 weeks for immunisation enrolment requirements.

Under the current system, childcare facilities must take “reasonable steps” to obtain vaccination records from parents of these children within that time but it is not compulsory.

However, Minister Hazzard said that would change moving ahead. “We recognise some parents of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and guardians of children in out-of-home care might have a bit of difficulty producing records upon enrolment but going forward, childcare facilities will need to seek the vaccination documentation within 12 weeks of enrolment,” he said.