2018/18: Should Australians opt out of My Health Record? - Web links, documents and video clips

On December 6, 2018, news.com.au published an analysis titled 'My Health Record: Should you opt out?' which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of being in the My Health Record system.
The full text can be accessed at

On November 15, 2018, the consumer magazine Choice published a report titled ' \Stay in or opt out?' which presented the advantages and the risks associated with the My Health Record.
The full text can be accessed at

On November 14, 2018, ABC News published a report titled 'The My Health Record opt-out deadline has been extended. Here's what you need to know'
The report detailed the Health Minister's decision to extend the opt-out deadline for My Health Record to January 31, 2019.
The full text can be accessed at

In November 2018, the Australian Government's Office of the Australian Information Commissioner published 'Privacy resource 23: Handling personal information in the My
Health Record system'
The document outlines the procedures to be followed when handling patient information.
The full text can be accessed at

On October 18, 2018, The Sydney Morning Herald published a report titled 'Major changes to My Health Record laws needed to safeguard Australians, Senate inquiry finds' which details some of the concerns raised in submissions to the Senate Inquiry into My Health Record from privacy advocates, domestic violence campaigners, medical practitioners and unions about the potential for sensitive data to be misused by employers, insurance companies and violent offenders seeking information about the whereabouts of their former partners.

On October 18, 2018, the Senate Inquiry into My Health Record released its recommendations. These can be found on the Australian Privacy Foundation site at
Please note you will need to scroll down the page to locate the recommendations.

On September 20, 2018, Third Horizon published a comment and analysis by the head of the My Health Record program, Andrew Howard, titled 'My Health Record - an essential conversation to have in Australia' which details the advantages potentially available to Australians through the use of My Health Record.
The full text can be accessed at

On August 29, 2018, ZDNet published a comment and analysis titled 'Australian government moves to improve My Health Record privacy' which outlines the provisions of the My Health Records Amendment (Strengthening Privacy) Bill 2018
The full text can be accessed at

On August 10, 2018, The Sydney Morning Herald published a report titled ' Unions urge members to opt out of MyHealth Record' which details concerns about employers' and insurers' capacity to access My health Record and the potential threat this represents.
The full text can be accessed at

On August 2, 2018, The Sydney Morning Herald published a report titled 'My Health concessions "woefully inadequate", says former AMA president' which details the concerns of former AMA president and current Independent member for the federal seat of Wentworth, Kerryn Phelps, regarding the operation of My Health Record.
The full text can be accessed at

On August 1, 2018, ABC News published a report titled 'My Health Record: Greg Hunt bows to pressure, announces changes to address privacy concerns' which details the changes to be made to the My Health Record legislation to ensure police and government agencies cannot access information against a patient's wish without a court order.
The full text can be accessed at

On August 1, 2018, news.com.au published a report titled 'Government succumbs to pressure on My Health Record privacy concerns' which details the changes to be made to the My Health Record legislation to ensure police and government agencies cannot access information against a patient's wish without a court order.
The full text can be accessed at

On July 31, 2018, The Sydney Morning Herald published a report titled 'My Health Record a new battleground in family disputes' which details the concerns of advocates against domestic violence that My Health Record could endanger the safety of children and ex-partners fleeing abusive parents.
The full text can be accessed at

On July 25, 2018, The Guardian published an article titled 'Police can access My Health Record without court order, parliamentary library warns' which details the claims made apt the greater police access to medical records which the Parliamentary Library warns is available through My Health Records.
The full text can be accessed at

On July 23, 2018, The Sydney Morning Herald published a comment by Dr Tony Bartone, the current president of the Australian Medical Association titled 'My Health Record could save your life one day' in which he details some of the advantages that My Health Record offers Australians.
The full text can be accessed at

On July 17, 2018, The Conversation published a comment by Katharine Kemp, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Bruce Baer Arnold, Assistant Professor, School of Law, University of Canberra and David Vaile, Teacher of cyberspace law, University of New South Wales, Faculty of Law. The article is titled 'My Health Record: the case for opting out' and presents three major reasons for opting out of the My Health Record system.
The full text can be accessed at

On June 25, 2018, Medical Republic published a comment by Dr Bernard Robertson-Dunn titled ' The truth about My Health Record' which outlines a number of the deficiencies of the My Health Record system.
The full text can be accessed at

On May 11, 2018, ITNews carried an analysis by Justin Hendry titled 'Govt releases My Health Record secondary data use plan' which outlines the framework governing secondary use of data from the My Health Record, providing more detail on the approach for releasing 'de-identified' information.
The full text can be accessed at

On November 21, 2017, HealthCareIT News carried a report titled GPs and hospitals claim My Health Record is not fit for purpose as alarmingly low usage figures are released' noting the low uptake rate among medical practitioners.
The full text can be accessed at

In November, 2017, the Australian Privacy Foundation posted a document titled 'Value of My Health Record' which suggests that the My Health Record has limited value for patients and clinicians, while offering government a vastly extended opportunity to access citizens' health data.
The full text can be found at
More opinions regarding My Health Record can be found on the Foundation's site at