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Australia Reports Declining Childhood Vaccination Rates and Increased Disease Activity

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Australia's Vaccination Decline Coincides with Surge in Preventable Diseases

A preview of the 2025 Annual Immunisation Coverage Report indicates a continued decline in childhood and adolescent vaccination rates across Australia. This trend coincides with a significant increase in cases of whooping cough, the highest in 35 years, and a rise in measles notifications. Health authorities have expressed concern, noting that vaccination coverage has fallen below national targets for the fifth consecutive year.

Vaccination coverage has fallen below national targets for the fifth consecutive year.

Latest Immunisation Coverage Data

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) preview report, based on data from the Australian Immunisation Register, shows declines across multiple age groups.

Childhood Vaccination Rates

  • The proportion of fully vaccinated 12-month-olds was 90.5% in 2025, down from 94.8% in 2020.
  • For 24-month-olds, coverage was 88.4%, down from 92.1% in 2020.
  • For 60-month-olds, coverage was 92.5%, down from 94.8% in 2020.

Timeliness of Vaccination

The report also noted a decline in on-time vaccination, defined as within 30 days of the recommended age.

  • Coverage for the second dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccines was 79.7%.
  • Coverage for the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine was 64.8%.

Adolescent Vaccination Rates

  • For the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, 78.7% of girls and 75.6% of boys had received at least one dose by age 15, a decrease from 2024.
  • For the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine, 73.0% of girls and 69.2% of boys were covered by age 17, showing a slight decrease.

Coverage Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Similar declining trends were observed. The report emphasized the need for targeted strategies to address these declines and improve equitable access.

Positive Trend

One area of increase was adult coverage for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), which rose to 48.0% for adults aged 70 and older.

Rise in Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

The decline in vaccination coverage has occurred alongside increased disease activity.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

  • Australia recorded 57,257 confirmed whooping cough cases in 2024, with 37,663 affecting infants and children up to 14 years old.
  • An additional 25,272 notifications were confirmed in 2025.
  • The Productivity Commission reported rates reaching almost 800 cases per 100,000 Australian children in 2024-25, a substantial increase from the pre-pandemic average.

Measles

  • Australia recorded 181 measles cases in 2025, more than a threefold increase from 2024.
  • Health authorities in New South Wales have issued warnings about an elevated risk, with 14 cases reported since December 1, 2025.

Reported Contributing Factors

Analysis by experts and institutions points to a combination of factors behind the declining rates.

Practical Barriers

  • Surveys indicate that a significant number of parents with partially vaccinated children report difficulties in securing or affording timely vaccination appointments, despite vaccines being free under the National Immunisation Program.
  • Other cited challenges include healthcare workforce shortages and reduced school attendance affecting adolescent vaccine programs.

Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation

  • Some reports indicate an increase in vaccine-hesitant parents between 2024 and 2025.
  • Experts cite the proliferation of misinformation online, a perceived loss of trust in institutions following the COVID-19 pandemic, and international discourse as influences on public opinion.

Studies indicate that nearly half of unvaccinated parents do not believe vaccines are safe, and almost 40 percent do not believe vaccinating children contributes to community protection.

Allegations of Record Falsification

  • A separate investigation has reported that some parents are seeking healthcare professionals to falsify Medicare records to enroll unvaccinated children in childcare or claim government payments.
  • Instances of healthcare professionals being disciplined for issuing fraudulent vaccine exemption documents have been documented.

Government and Health System Response

Policy Context

  • Existing 'no jab, no pay' and 'no jab, no play' policies link vaccination status to childcare enrollment and family tax benefits in most Australian jurisdictions, with allowances for medical exemptions.
  • Federal and state governments have agreed on a new national vaccination strategy focused on building trust, strengthening the immunization workforce, utilizing data, and increasing accountability.

Recent Actions

  • Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has described the decline in coverage as alarming.
  • The government is investing $600 million to supply vaccines through the National Immunisation Program.
  • The NCIRS report recommends enhancing catch-up vaccination activities, addressing barriers to access, and developing targeted strategies for specific communities.

The full Annual Immunisation Coverage Report for 2025 is scheduled for release in 2026.