Child Care Benefit (Vaccination Schedules) (DEEWR) Determination 2013

Overview

The Child Care Benefit (Vaccination Schedules) (DEEWR) Determination 2013, made under section 4 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999, was enacted to establish vaccination schedules that determine eligibility for child care benefit. This legislation was introduced to ensure that children receive appropriate immunisations in line with national health guidelines, thereby promoting public health and reducing the spread of preventable diseases. The determination applies to all claims for child care benefit made on or after 1 July 2013 and includes specific vaccination schedules based on the child's birth date, referencing the Australian Immunisation Handbook. The policy objective is to align child care benefit eligibility with immunisation requirements, ensuring that children are adequately protected against serious diseases.

Scope and Application

The Child Care Benefit (Vaccination Schedules) (DEEWR) Determination 2013 applies to the child care benefit and all claims for such benefit made on or after 1 July 2013. This Determination, which is made under section 4 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999, specifies the vaccination schedules that a child must follow to be considered immunised for the purposes of the Act. The Determination outlines standard and catch-up vaccination schedules that vary depending on the child's birth date, with specific vaccines required to be administered at certain ages and registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. The Determination revokes the previous Family Assistance (Vaccination Schedules) (DEEWR) Determination 2009 and has been amended by the Child Care Benefit (Vaccination Schedules) (DEEWR) Amendment Determination 2013 (No. 1). The geographic reach of this Determination is federal, applying across Australia as it is a Commonwealth instrument. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds within the Determination itself, but it is subject to the overarching provisions of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999.

Key Provisions

The Child Care Benefit (Vaccination Schedules) (DEEWR) Determination 2013, as amended, sets out the vaccination schedules that determine eligibility for child care benefit under the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999. This Determination applies to all claims for child care benefit made on or after 1 July 2013. It establishes different vaccination schedules based on the child's date of birth, detailing which vaccines must be administered by specific ages. For children born before 1 July 2012, the schedule requires vaccinations against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), and Hepatitis B by certain ages, as well as MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) and additional vaccines by age four. For children born on or after 1 July 2012 and before 1 July 2013, the schedule includes additional vaccinations such as Varicella (chickenpox) and Meningococcal C. For children born on or after 1 July 2013, the schedule includes vaccines such as Pneumococcal and Meningococcal C alongside the other listed vaccines. This Act imposes specific obligations on parents or guardians to ensure that their children receive the vaccines as per the prescribed schedule. The vaccines must be administered by a recognised immunisation provider and must be registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Failure to comply with these vaccination requirements can impact the eligibility for child care benefit. The Determination also mandates that catch-up vaccinations be given if a child has missed any vaccinations, as per the Australian Immunisation Handbook. Failure to comply with the vaccination requirements may result in the child not being considered 'immunised' for the purposes of child care benefit, potentially leading to a reduction or denial of benefit payments. There are no explicit criminal or civil penalties stated within this Determination, but non-compliance can have financial implications for families in terms of reduced or lost eligibility for child care benefits.