This instalment in our popular webinar program, explored decreases in childhood vaccination rates in Australia – and what can be done to reverse them. 

Leading immunisation experts presented on topics including: 

  • the latest childhood vaccination coverage data and trends in Australia 
  • results from new research on the drivers of partial and under-vaccination of children in Australia
  • approaches to addressing vaccine mistrust 
  • practical strategies to increase coverage rates. 

The virtual event included a sneak peek at preliminary findings from the National Vaccination Insights project, which is gathering data on the drivers of under-vaccination in children and adults in Australia.  


Resources


Presentation recordings

  • Professor Nicholas Wood – Associate Director, Clinical Research and Services, NCIRS

     

     


    Professor Nick WoodNicholas Wood is a staff specialist general paediatrician and Professor in Clinical Vaccinology at the University of Sydney. Nick holds an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship. He leads the NSW Immunisation Specialist Service and coordinates the Immunisation Adverse Events Clinic at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. He is a senior investigator on the Primary Health Network Immunisation Support Program.

  • Associate Professor Frank Beard – Associate Director, NCIRS

    Associate Professor Frank BeardFrank Beard is a public health physician who heads the surveillance, coverage, evaluation and social science teams at NCIRS and has a conjoint academic appointment as Associate Professor in the University of Sydney School of Public Health. He has a particular interest and extensive experience in vaccine coverage analysis and reporting.

  • Dr Kasia Bolsewicz – Research Fellow, Social Science, NCIRS

     

     


    Associate Professor Frank BeardKasia Bolsewicz is a Research Fellow in the NCIRS Social Sciences team. She brings doctoral-level qualifications and work experience in qualitative research methods and public health and social and behavioural sciences – as well as a cross-cultural background in chronic illness management research (cancer, HIV, dementia), public health policy and evaluation – to her work. Kasia has worked with four local health districts in New South Wales using the World Health Organization’s Tailoring Immunization Programmes approach to identify areas of low childhood vaccine coverage and gain a greater understanding of factors that influence childhood immunisation. 

  • Professor Julie Leask – Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney

     

     


    Professor Julie LeaskJulie Leask AO is professor and social scientist in the University of Sydney School of Public Health, where she co-leads the Social and Behavioural Insights in Immunisation research group. Her research focuses on vaccine uptake, programs and policies. She also teaches and researches in risk communication. She is a member of the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute and a visiting fellow at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. Her previous roles include Chair, World Health Organization (WHO) Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccination working group (2018–2022); member, WHO Immunization and Vaccines-related Implementation Research Advisory Committee (2019–2023); and member, WHO South-East Asia Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (2020–2023). She has won several awards, including the Australian Financial Review 100 Woman of Influence in 2019 and the Rosemary Bryant Award from the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association in 2023. She was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in 2024 ‘for distinguished service to health and medical research, to policy advice and to enhancing community understanding of immunisation’.

  • Ms Karen Booth – President, Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association

     

     


    Ms Karen BoothKaren Booth is a Registered Nurse who has been working as a primary healthcare nurse and manager in general practice for 25 years. She has held multiple ministerial appointments to federal government health policy groups, including the Primary Health Care Advisory Group, Health Care Homes, the Medicare Benefits Schedule review for Primary Care, Allied Health and Nurse Practitioners, the Nurse Practitioner 10 Year Plan Steering Committee, the National Nursing Workforce Plan, the National Rural and Remote Nurse Generalist Framework and the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.

  • Dr Alan Leeb – Principal General Practitioner, Illawarra Medical Centre; Director, SmartVax

     

     


    Dr Alan LeebDr Alan Leeb is a West Australian GP with a special interest in paediatrics and immunisation. His research interest is in vaccine safety.  

  • Dr Anna Peatt – First Assistant Secretary, National Immunisation, Australian Government

     

     


    Dr Anna Peatt FirstAnna Peatt leads the division responsible for the National Immunisation Program and the National COVID-19 Vaccine Program. These programs work to prevent disease and death through access to vaccines and the provision of better supports to the delivery of outcomes across the Department, as teams share their expertise, knowledge and capacity. Anna’s previous roles have included First Assistant Secretary, National COVID-19 Vaccine Division and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the National Blood Authority. She previously worked at the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, as the Chief Officer, Medicines and Poisons Regulation. Anna has more than 20 years’ experience in various roles throughout the Australian Government working in various departments, mainly in high-level positions. Her knowledge is enhanced by a Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry), which she attained at Monash University.

  • Q&A panel

    Professor Margie Danchin – Group Leader, Vaccine Trials and Uptake, Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

    Professor Margie DanchinMargie Danchin is a paediatrician and a vaccinologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI). As leader of the Vaccine Uptake and Clinical Trials group at MCRI, her research focuses on vaccine effectiveness, confidence and uptake – particularly among priority populations and in low-resource settings – and effective risk communication. In Australia, she is a member of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, Chair of the Social Science Advisory Board, and a member of the NCIRS Scientific Advisory Committee. Margie is Deputy Chair of the Australian Regional Immunisation Alliance (ARIA), sits on the steering committee for Melbourne Children’s Global Health and is Associate Dean International at the University of Melbourne.


    Ms Naomi Nelson – Aboriginal Health Team Coordinator, Boorloo (Perth) Public Health Unit

    Ms Naomi NelsonNaomi Nelson is a proud Njaki-Njaki woman from the Noongar nation who has connections to Ballardong and Wadjak countries. She has worked in health for six years and for the past four years has been working as the Aboriginal Health Team Coordinator at the Boorloo (Perth) Public Health Unit. The team has portfolios in immunisation and notifiable communicable diseases.