New childhood vaccination data released today by UNICEF and the WHO shows that although Australia's immunisation coverage remains high overall, it sits below the average achieved by many comparable high-income countries for several key vaccines.
“Australia remains one of the safest places in the world to grow up, but these new global immunisation estimates suggest there is no room for complacency when it comes to protecting Australian children from preventable diseases,” says Alice Hall, Chief Advocate for Children at UNICEF Australia.
Many Australian parents have never seen diseases like polio, diphtheria or measles firsthand, largely because vaccination programs have been so successful. However, earlier this year Australia recorded the worst outbreak the country has seen in decades of diphtheria, and health authorities detected poliovirus in wastewater in Perth.
“The recent cases of diphtheria in Australia serve as a reminder that vaccine-preventable diseases remain a threat and can quickly re-emerge when immunity gaps develop,” says Ms Hall.
Immunisation estimates when compared to many other high-income countries for several key vaccines show:
- Australia's coverage for the first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine (DTP1) was 92 per cent in 2025, compared with the average of many other high-income countries at 96 per cent.
- In 2025, Australia ranked 6th highest out of 41 countries for the number of zero-dose children (with 24,000 children unvaccinated with DTP1).
- In 2025, national measles coverage was 91 per cent, 3 percentage points lower than in 2019 (94%). This equates to 27,000 unvaccinated children in 2025 compared to 18,000 unvaccinated children in 2019. A 95% level is needed to prevent outbreaks.
"The success of vaccines means many families have never had to experience the devastating consequences of diseases that were once common. That is something to celebrate, but it's also a reason to remain vigilant. When vaccination rates slip, diseases that we thought were behind us can find new opportunities to return."
UNICEF Australia said the figures should serve as a reminder that vaccination success depends on continuous effort from families, health workers and governments.
“We all have a role in raising public awareness of the importance of routine immunisation. Vaccines have been one of the greatest public health success stories in human history. They have saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years and continue to protect children from diseases that once caused widespread illness, disability and death."
Vaccines protect people throughout every stage of life, from infancy through to older age, and today help prevent more than 30 potentially serious diseases. As the world's largest vaccine buyer, UNICEF delivers more than 2 billion doses each year, with Australia playing a leading role globally in developing new vaccines.
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