Australian Nursing Peak Body Calls for Urgent Revamp of Failing Vaccination Strategy
The Australian College of Nursing is urging the Federal Government to fund nurse-led community clinics and establish a Nurse Payment Administrator to address a "perfect storm" of declining vaccination rates and record-high influenza cases.
Harry Taruva 
Canberra, Australia - The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) has issued an urgent plea to the Federal Government to overhaul the nation’s vaccination strategy, warning that "business as usual" is failing to protect the public amid plummeting coverage rates.
With childhood and adolescent vaccination figures hitting five-year lows, the peak body for nursing is calling for a fundamental shift toward nurse-led community clinics to bridge the gap in accessibility and combat growing vaccine fatigue.
ACN Chief Executive Officer, Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz, highlighted that while general practice remains the cornerstone of the healthcare system, traditional models are no longer sufficient to meet the needs of busy families and underserved populations.
"We need to make it as easy as possible for people to take this critical step, for their own health and for others," Professor Zeitz said.
"GP clinics remain core to vaccine delivery in Australia, but we must acknowledge the real barriers many people face in securing appointments and finding time to bring children in, particularly outside business hours," she said.
Data from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) reveals that in 2025, vaccination rates for 12-month-olds dropped to 90.5 percent, a decline from 2020 levels and well below the thresholds required for herd immunity.
To address this, the ACN is proposing the establishment of a Nurse Payment Administrator.
The body would manage direct payments to nurses for administering vaccines across various settings, including pharmacies, general practice and Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
Currently, much of the immunisation work performed by nurses inside GP clinics remains unfunded at the practitioner level.
The proposal also envisions moving vaccination services out of clinical settings and into the heart of the community.
The ACN suggests utilising libraries, youth centres, childcare facilities and seniors' hubs such as Men’s Sheds and bowling clubs to reach those who find traditional appointments difficult to manage.
"Nurses deliver more vaccines than any other healthcare professional," Professor Zeitz noted.
"They are ranked the most trusted profession, they are the most geographically dispersed and the largest group of healthcare professionals. They are perfectly positioned to help Australians stay well," she said.
As influenza rates reach record highs and vaccine-preventable diseases continue to circulate, the ACN argues that a sustainable, nurse-led business model is the only way to ensure Australia retains its status as a global leader in public health.
