House of Representatives

Explanatory Memorandum

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Minister for Sport, the Hon Greg Hunt MP)

Schedule 2 - Family assistance amendments

The FA Act is affected by the changes to the AIR Act enabling paediatricians, , public health physicians, infectious diseases physicians and clinical immunologists to have their assessments of medical exemptions to immunisation recognised by the register, in addition to general practitioners.

The FA Act amendment will enable families to receive and continue receiving family assistance payments where a general practitioner, paediatrician, public health physician, infectious diseases physician or clinical immunologist has assessed an individual as having a medical exemption from immunisation.

Item 1 Paragraphs 6(3)(a) and (b)

This item will amend paragraphs 6(3)(a) and 6(3)(b) of the FA Act to enable paediatricians, , public health physicians, infectious diseases physicians and clinical immunologists to certify medical exemptions to immunisation, in addition to general practitioners.

This amendment means that a child will meet both the immunisation requirements and the No Jab, No Pay measure if a paediatrician, public health physician, infectious diseases physician or clinical immunologist certifies a medical exemption to immunisation.

Paediatricians, , public health physicians, infectious diseases physicians and clinical immunologists whom are recognised through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians would be able to certify that an individual has a medical exemption to immunisation so that a parent can still receive any family assistance benefits to which they are otherwise entitled even though their child has not been fully immunised.

Item 2 - Application provisions

This item states that the amendment made by item 1 of Schedule 2 applies in relation to certifications given on or after commencement of the item, which is the day after Royal Assent.