Page 914 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 22 March 2017

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MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (4.35), in reply: I wish to respond to both of the amendments. Firstly, I wish to openly thank the minister for seeking my input on the amendment that she has moved today and for implementing every single change to the amendment that I requested. This level of cooperation will also assist in making our message today absolutely clear, and I thank her.

I appreciate Minister Rattenbury’s input in relation to this motion, and I thank him. However, there are a few things in his amendment that I do not agree with. He has completely removed support for no jab no play and replaced it with education and communication. But that is something that we are already doing for the most part.

In relation to paragraph (2)(d), it sounds like he has left a door open for the enrolment of children who have been vaccinated, though the motion discusses only childcare centres. The no jab no play policy is designed to pick up rates in the childcare years and, if it works, the numbers in schools will be in the safe zone for herd immunity.

In closing, I express my appreciation that we have reached an outcome today that is good for the territory’s children and for all ACT residents, and we have done so in a bipartisan manner. Maintaining high levels of childhood vaccination in the territory and, indeed, increasing the rates of such vaccination whenever and however possible are essential public health measures. The unambiguous message that leaves the chamber this day will be that the ACT Legislative Assembly is united and firm in its absolute commitment to good public policy such as no jab no play.

For all of the reasons discussed earlier, it is crucial that we make this statement and do so clearly. Much, of course, remains to be done, but we on this side of the chamber will await the model legislation that will come back from COAG and other relevant meetings. I commend the motion as amended.

Question put:

That Mr Rattenbury’s amendment to Ms Fitzharris’s proposed amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

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