Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—On behalf of the opposition, while we support the reference to a committee, we do want to place on record that we do not support the proposition to increase the audit powers of Medicare Australia to access patient records. The government would be well aware that doctors are telling us that they would rather go to jail than hand over patient information and breach doctor-patient confidentiality. We think that this measure has the potential to lead to bad health outcomes and is a gross invasion of privacy. We also note that Labor in government has tried this before—all the way back in 1993—and it was forced into a significant backdown then. But, as I said, we do support the reference of the inquiry.

Question agreed to.