I'd choose autism: Labor MP backs vaccines

Emma Husar is particularly offended when she hears people link vaccinations and autism.

The federal Labor MP is the mother of an autistic child. She also nursed her comatose sister through meningococcal disease, she told parliament on Monday.

"Let me tell you, I would take the autistic child every day over the one that almost died from an almost now-preventable disease through vaccines," Ms Husar said supporting a government proposal to change No Jab No Pay rules.

Instead of withholding the family tax supplement at the end of each financial year, the new proposal would withhold about $28 a fortnight from Family Tax Benefit Part A for families whose children do not meet immunisation requirements from July 1.

That means all families would be captured by the legislation, rather than just those households with an annual income up to $80,000.

The bill passed the lower house on Monday afternoon.

Social Services Minister Dan Tehan said the new measures would serve as an immediate incentive and constant reminder for non-compliant parents.

He expects it to increase immunisation compliance rates.

Under the changes, families would be given a 63-day grace period in order to update their child's vaccinations or get a medical exemption before payments were cut off.