LNP PUTS POLITICS AHEAD OF CHILD HEALTH

Media release

Shadow Health Minister Jo-Ann Miller says the Newman Government has put party politics ahead of the care of children in voting down her Private Members Bill on vaccination.

If Mrs Miller’s proposal had been supported children in child care, and child care workers, would have been protected from unvaccinated children.

“It should have been a no-brainer,” said Mrs Miller.

“It is a common sense proposal to protect children from the spread of potentially fatal childhood diseases such as measles and whooping cough."

“It is a proposal supported by the medical profession, by the health committee and by the vast majority of Queenslanders, but not one member of the LNP had the guts to stand up for children when it came to the vote.”

Mrs Miller had called for bipartisan support and argued that it was a positive step Parliament could take to address falling vaccination rates.

She told Parliament the rate of immunisation for children in Noosa, Nambour, Surfers Paradise and Kuranda was comparable with developing Third World nations in Africa.

“In Brisbane’s inner-city there are 3,371 unvaccinated children and fewer than 85% of five year olds are fully vaccinated."

“Recent outbreaks of measles in a number of Queensland locations have highlighted the risk, and excluding unvaccinated children from childcare is a measure that has been adopted in other States."

“I am dismayed that LNP MPs voted en-bloc to defeat the Bill, especially after I made amendments to specifically address concerns raised during the committee stage."

“Every time there is an outbreak of a lethal but preventable childhood disease, anywhere in Queensland, it will be on the conscience of those Newman Government MPs who couldn’t bring themselves to support a Labor initiative."

“They have put petty party politics ahead of the health and well-being of vulnerable children and Queenslanders will hold them responsible for that.”