CATHERINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE
MEMBER FOR BALLARAT

JENNY MCALLISTER
SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES
CHAIR, SENATE FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFERENCES COMMITTEE

LABOR TO LEAD SENATE INQUIRY INTO MY HEALTH RECORD

Labor will lead a comprehensive Senate inquiry into Malcolm Turnbull’s My Health Record fiasco amid ongoing privacy and security concerns.

We remain deeply concerned that the Government’s bungled rollout of the My Health Record opt-out period has severely undermined public trust in this important reform.

Labor has long supported an electronic health record system. We believe it has the capacity to revolutionise health care delivery, but we also recognise it needs a high degree of public support in order to be successful.
 
While the Government has agreed to a number of changes demanded by Labor and doctors’ groups, including an extension of the opt-out period and a new public information campaign, more needs to be done.
 
We will this week ask the crossbench to support a reference to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee, which also inquired into the census failure and the sale of Medicare numbers on the darkweb.
 
The inquiry will review all the laws, regulations and rules that underpin the My Health Record.
 
It will examine the Government’s decision to shift from an opt-in system to an opt-out system and whether it adequately prepared for this fundamental change from Labor’s system.
 
It will examine a range of privacy and security concerns, including the adequacy of the system’s log-in procedures and default settings. It will also consider issues raised in the public domain around domestic violence and workers’ compensation.
 
The inquiry will look at the adequacy of the Government’s public information campaign, and the potential that commercial interests – including health insurers – could be given access to My Health data.
 
The committee will be asked to report before the end of the opt-out period in mid-November.
 
Labor remains of the view the Government should suspend the My Health Record rollout until this mess can be cleaned up.
 
The Government has botched the NDIS, the NBN, the census, robo-debt and now the My Health Record. This is a Government that is there for the announcement but goes missing when it’s time to implement.
 
TUESDAY, 14 AUGUST 2018
 
MEDIA CONTACT:   ADAM GARTRELL (KING) – 0427 008 525
                               KATE LEE (MCALLISTER) – 0466 776 160