My Health Record

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:17): Supplementary: is the minister completely comfortable with the fact that the personal details on My Health Record will be available to the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Taxation Office and other security services without the requirement to have a warrant issued to access that information?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:17): I don't accept the assertion by the member. My understanding is that the commonwealth minister has specifically refuted that claim. The fact of the matter is that this regime is robust. In the end, my understanding is that people have the opportunity not only to opt out but also to not share. Being a relatively veteran record holder, I can't remember all the details, but my recollection is that, for one thing, you can choose for some information not to be part of the record. It's very important for patient privacy, and it's also important for patient choice. South Australians and Australians will have the choice in the coming months, and I would urge them to think about the benefits of My Health Record, not merely the theoretical risks.