Abstract

The author examines the removal of religious and conscientious objections from Australia's childhood vaccination laws. While vaccination in Australia is voluntary the law requires parents to vaccinate their children in order to receive some government welfare payments. In 2015 the Australian government removed conscientious and religious exemptions to the vaccination requirements for social welfare payments. While this change in law will only impact a tiny number of Australians the lack of recognition by Australia's political leaders of the impact of religious freedom of the change in law is concerning.