Stop grinding your teeth, unpucker that sphincter, and admit Tony Abbott is right. Go on, unclench, breath out, you'll feel better for it. God knows what's come over him but for once in his life he's gone with the science and done the right thing.

As brutal and authoritarian as it might seem to bring the hammer down on anti-vaccination nuff-nuffs, taking away their family tax benefits and welfare payments is nowhere near as brutal and authoritarian as the powers wielded by the state in time of plague.

Parents who may be hesitant about vaccines but not hardline opponents - are the people health professionals may be able to engage with effectively on social media. Credit:Melissa Adams

We have had many long and happy years since any Australian government has called on those powers, but they remain locked away deep in the arsenal of governance and they are maintained there with good reason.

Infectious disease – most often riding in harness with wilful ignorance – has caused havoc and brought ruin upon humanity many times in the past. It would not need a zombie outbreak to see the same thing happen again - just an unfortunate mutation of the flu virus.