Cardinia Shire Council has unanimously passed a motion calling on the Victorian Government to fund the meningococcal B vaccine and reinstate the PRIME immunisation program, following the tragic death of 16-year-old Levi Syer.
The motion, moved by Councillor Samantha Potter at the Council meeting on Monday 17 November, urged the Minister for Health to address the exclusion of meningococcal B from Victoria’s immunisation schedule and restore funding for the PRIME program, which supports refugee and asylum seeker communities.
Cr Potter revealed her own brother had nearly died from meningococcal, spending weeks in intensive care.
“He survived, but Levi Syer, a local 16-year-old and my daughter’s classmate, did not. This should never have happened,” she said.
“No family should have to bury their child because of something preventable. Every child deserves protection.”
Levi contracted meningococcal B just weeks after receiving the meningococcal ACWY vaccine at his school in Beaconsfield.
The B strain, which claimed his life, is not currently included in Victoria’s immunisation schedule, though it is funded and available in South Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory.
Mayor Jack Kowarzik said he was unaware meningococcal B was not part of the standard vaccination schedule for children and has since booked his own children to receive it.
“If any benefit can come from this conversation, hopefully it’s that increasing that awareness,” he said.
Cr Liz Roberts warned refugees and asylum seekers often fall outside the Medicare system, leaving them without access to essential vaccinations.
“I just feel it’s a shame that after covid and the issues that we had with vaccinations, that we haven’t learned as a country to get it together and get the schedules within each state aligned,” she said.
“Given how much we move around, thousands of plane movements a day, these diseases can travel. We’re not really taking that into account in the approach.”
While supporting the motion, Cr Kowarzik noted he had already written to the Minister for Health to amplify the voice of Levi’s friend, Mason Cassar, who launched his own petition last month.
“It’s been really inspiring seeing how the community’s activated from this,” he said.
“I don’t think another letter is a problem – it’s part of the solution.
“I don’t think you necessarily have to have children to understand the lesson here and how heartbreaking it is to lose such a vibrant young person from our community. 16 years old, essentially the prime of their life.”
The community has continued to rally since Levi’s death. Last week, St Francis Xavier College (Beaconsfield campus) held a sausage sizzle fundraiser to support meningococcal awareness.
The school shared on social media: “It was moving to see Levi’s mum, Norliah, and brother, Zac, join us and witness the community coming together in his honor. Thank you to everyone who supported, participated, and helped keep Levi’s memory alive while raising awareness for such an important cause.”
Norliah Syer expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support from the school, local community, politicians and advocacy groups.
National organisations, including the Immunisation Coalition and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), have advocated numerous times recently for the MenB vaccine to be made free for all Australian adolescents.
This week, Norliah will meet with Chief of Staff to Minister Butler and Federal Member for Holt Cassandra Fernando to bring her campaign to Parliament.
Additionally, meetings with Opposition Leader Brad Battin and GSK have already helped advance the discussion with the government. The Minister of Health is expected to respond to her campaign later this week.
