Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt is not ruling out stripping welfare payments from people who refuse coronavirus vaccines, once a cure is available.
Mr Hunt has suggested adopting the "No Jab, No Play" model, which requires children to be fully vaccinated unless they have a medical exemption before enrolling in child care or kindergarten.
He is also considering linking the jabs to welfare payments.
"Our first goal is to encourage as many Australians as possible. I'm confident that a very, very large numbers of Australians will take it up," Mr Hunt told the Seven Network on Thursday.
"But we reserve the right, subject to medical advice, to take steps that might assist."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would like to make the vaccine "as mandatory as possible" but has ruled out making it compulsory.
Experts say 95 per cent coverage of the population is ideal to get the maximum benefit from any vaccine.
Australian Associated Press
