This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The number of fully immunised Australian children has hit a record level, with close to 95% vaccinated against deadly diseases.

New data for the March quarter showed immunisation rates for all five-year-olds was 94.78%, up from 94.67% in the December quarter.

The coverage rate for five-year-old Indigenous children was 96.66%, outstripping the national figure.

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The federal health minister, Greg Hunt, said on Sunday that immunisation saved and protected lives, and it was important to keep promoting the benefits of vaccines.

“The latest figures show that the vast majority of parents are hearing the message about the benefits of vaccinations and I am delighted that our public health campaigns and our immunisation programs are protecting all Australians,” he said.

Australia has world-leading vaccination rates for children. The latest figures were well above global vaccination coverage of 85 per cent.

Immunisation rates also continued to rise for one-, two- and five-year-olds, and Victoria and Tasmania recorded above the national rate.