Proposed ‘Smart Card’
The Human Services (Enhanced Service Delivery) Bill 2007 is now under discussion in Federal Parliament.
This Bill provides the legislative framework for the introduction of the proposed health and social services access card, designed to replace up to 17 existing cards, like Medicare.
Concerns about the card’s privacy implications and the potential for the information on it to be used inappropriately were raised by parliamentarians from all parties, including a number of Coalition backbenchers.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has urged Federal MPs to vote against the Bill as it believes that it does not offer adequate protection of private information. The Government has agreed to refer the Bill to a Senate Committee for further scrutiny.
