✦ Plain-English Summary

Australian Immunisation Register Amendment (Reporting) 2020

What it does

This law updates how vaccination providers report information to the Australian Immunisation Register (the national database that tracks who's been vaccinated). It clarifies what "provider identification information" means — basically, it defines exactly what details doctors, nurses and other vaccination providers must include when they report vaccines they've given.

Why it matters

Getting clear definitions of what information must be reported helps ensure the vaccination register is accurate and complete, which matters for public health tracking and if there are safety issues with vaccines that need investigating.

Key details

• New definitions: The law spells out that provider identification information includes the vaccinator's name, contact details, and their provider numbers (both Medicare and AIR-specific numbers)
• Commencement: Most changes took effect the day after the bill received Royal Assent (late 2020)
• Who's affected: Recognised vaccination providers — doctors, nurses, and other registered health professionals who administer vaccines — need to make sure they're reporting the right identification details when they record vaccinations in the register

Official Description

Amends the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 to: require recognised vaccination providers to report certain information in relation to certain vaccinations administered both within and outside Australia; authorise the collection and use of Commonwealth assigned identifiers; introduce civil penalties should recognised vaccination providers not comply with the reporting requirements; create a power for the secretary to require recognised vaccination providers to produce information if they do not comply with the reporting requirements; and make amendments contingent on the commencement of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2020 .

Committee Referrals

Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.