Veterans sue government over 'mass and routine' medical data sharing

Key points

• A class action has been launched against the federal government over allegations of unauthorised sharing of veterans' medical records. The claim, filed by Gordon Legal, alleges the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and the University of South Australia (UniSA) shared data from around 300,000 veterans without consent.
• The MATES program, which operated from 2004 to 2024, is accused of accessing and disclosing personal health information, including medications and conditions, to identify and contact GPs about potential health risks.
• The lawsuit seeks damages for breach of confidence in the Victorian Supreme Court.