Record number of vaccine objectors

Record high ... The number of mums and dads registering as vaccine objectors is on the rise. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

A RECORD number of parents are telling the government they have made the dangerous decision not to vaccinate their children from life threatening diseases because of 'conscientious objections'.

Alarming new data obtained from the federal Department of Health reveals the number of children whose parents are registering as conscientious objectors to childhood vaccinations has doubled since 2006.

In 2012, the former federal government moved to link welfare payments to childhood vaccination records, requiring all parents to immunise their children to claim family tax benefits and generous childcare subsidies.

Troubling ... Parents can still claim welfare payments if they register as conscientious objectors to childhood vaccines. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

But parents can still exploit a loophole and pocket welfare payments simply by filling in a form stating they have a "personal, philosophical, religious or medical" objection to their kids receiving vital lifesaving vaccines.

Department of Health data shows in 2006 the total number of children under 7 years of age whose parents told authorities they were not vaccinating their children because they had a personal, philosophical, religious or medical objection was 18,899 — or 1.03 per cent of the population of children under 7.

By the end of 2011 that figure had jumped to 29,968 or 1.41 per cent of all kids under 7.

And the most recent data available reveals that by the end of last year, 39,523 children under 7 were on the register because their parents has contentiously objected to vaccinations.

Executive Director of The Parenthood, Jo Briskey, a grassroots organisation running a campaign to make vaccination compulsory, said the figures were alarming and parents wanted to see the recognition of so-called 'conscientious objectors' ended.

Worrying trend ... The Parenthood's Jo Briskey said the rise in the numbers of parents objecting to vaccines is alarming. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

"The significant growth in the number of children who are not vaccinated because their parents have a 'conscientious objection' to it is shocking and the government has to put an immediate stop to this increase" Ms Briskey said.

"We need to put an end to this myth of 'conscientious objectors' because you cannot be conscientious when you're putting a child's life at risk."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the recent upswing could be attributed to federal government's decision to make parents officially lodge their objections before receiving welfare payments in 2012.

The spokeswoman said overall immunisation rates were not decreasing.

The data comes after Social Services Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the government is reviewing the current exemptions on vaccinations that apply to family payments and childcare subsidies as a part of the families package being developed.

Labor is also lobbying for the loophole to be closed so only people with strong religious objections can be exempt from vaccinating their children.

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