Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security. How is the government responding to the Medibank data being leaked?

Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Blair for his question. Yesterday I indicated to the parliament that the consequences of the Medibank hack were likely to get worse, and today those fears have been realised. I want to say, particularly to the women whose private health information has been compromised overnight, as the Minister for Cyber Security but, more importantly, as a woman this should not have happened. I know this is a really difficult time. I want you to know that as a parliament and as a government we stand with you. You are entitled to keep your health information private. What has occurred here is morally reprehensible and criminal.

I want to provide some information to the parliament and to Australians this afternoon about victim support. Cyberhacks each have their own character, and the concerns and issues that citizens will face even in this one instance have many variations. Some will need technical questions answered, some will be victims of crime, some will need health support, and much more vulnerable citizens who are affected here are going to require intensive case management.

As well as the focus on enforcement and prevention of harm, much of the work of the National Coordination Mechanism over recent weeks has been stepping out how this situation may unfold and, for different communities or victims, what support and services will need to be provided. Our focus as a parliament is on Medicare stepping up on this, but of course there are requirements here too for government. We are very focused on how to make this easy and simple to access for citizens who are affected. I don't want Australians to have to circulate 14 government departments or areas of Medibank in order to get the support that they deserve and need.

I spoke with the Medibank CEO twice today with Minister Shorten and Minister Butler, and I made abundantly clear the expectations of the Australian community on what this company owes to its customers given what has transpired here. They need to make sure that people who need help are able to get it. Medibank is providing a clean, one-stop shop which will help refer citizens to support, whether that support is being provided by Medibank itself, by the state and federal government, or by the state or federal police force. It is important that that support is scalable. I received assurance from Medibank today that, if a large data dump occurs, they are fully ready to provide services when and if they are needed to Australians who need them. We're supporting that work, including through Services Australia, who, through their minister, are making their staff available to sit with the Medibank staff in this.

Finally, in particular with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Attorney-General, I want to pay tribute to the work of the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Signals Directorate. I want the scumbags behind this attack to know that the smartest and toughest people in this country are coming after you.