Media Announcement: Submission to Privacy Task Force on Proposal for optional health and emergency information

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26 March 2007

The Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has released a submission made in response to the second discussion paper released by the Minister for Human Services' Consumer and Privacy Taskforce. This discussion paper concerns the proposals for Optional Health and Emergency Information to be stored on the Access Card. The submission is available at http://www.privacy.gov.au/publications/index.html#sub.

The Privacy Commissioner has emphasised that any process allowing individuals to store optional information on their Access Card should be implemented in a transparent and privacy-enhancing manner.

"The community should be fully informed about how their personal information will be handled as part of a facility for storing optional health information," Ms Curtis said.

The Commissioner recognised that optional medical information may be useful in an emergency, but emphasised that the circumstances in which this information can be accessed should be carefully considered.

"Allowing open access to emergency information (including, potentially, to non-emergency service providers and organisations) may not accord with community expectations about the use and protection of that information" Ms Curtis said.

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