Almost six months have passed since the government announced a ban on genetic discrimination in life insurance, so why hasn’t it been implemented?
The AMA has written to Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler asking him to support the AMA’s call for the government to fulfill its commitment to introduce legislation to ban genetic discrimination in life insurance as a matter of urgency.
We noted our extreme concern that the legislation has not been prioritised in the upcoming sitting weeks and fear such a delay could result in legislation not being introduced before the federal election.
We know many people will be deterred from undertaking genetic testing or participating in genetic research based on fears about access to necessary insurance, such as life insurance, to safeguard themselves and their families. Together with a range of organisations we have consistently advocated for the introduction of legislation to implement a total legislative ban on the use of genetic test results in insurance underwriting.
On 11 September 2024, the government announced it “will end the ability to discriminate based on adverse predictive genetic test results by banning their use in life insurance underwriting”. At the time we commended the ban, which also received extensive community support, support from the cross bench and the Opposition, and even the life insurance industry itself. The Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI) welcomed the move to enact strict regulation as a way to ensure “Australians are confident about accessing the information they need to better manage their health”.
On 27 November 2024, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones, reiterated in the House of Representatives the government’s commitment to introduce relevant legislation into the parliament “in this term” to remove barriers to people accessing testing and to ensure that Australians have access to all the genetic-testing advantages that would enable them to take control of those dispositions in their life.
To date, however, the introduction of the legislation has not been forthcoming and, as affirmed by Senator Gallagher in the Senate on 4 February 2025, is looking increasingly unlikely before the federal election.
We will continue to advocate that this legislation must be implemented as a matter of priority.
