CALI urges government action on genetic test results ban

In September, Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones announced that the federal government would introduce a legislative ban on using genetic test results in life insurance underwriting.

The minister said this would “give Australians the confidence to undertake genetic testing without fear it will impact their ability to access financial security through life insurance”.

Before the announcement, the government launched a consultation on the issue of genetic discrimination in life insurance in November 2023, resulting in over 1,000 submissions, 97 per cent of which supported the total ban of the practice. Monash University also released a report in favour of the ban.

Despite the Labor government’s guillotine motion last week in which it attempted to push through a flurry of bills on the final sitting day of Parliament for 2024, this particular piece of legislation missed the cut.

Having backed the ban upon its initial announcement, the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI), alongside the support of its 20 members, has renewed its call for the government to introduce the legislation to ban the practice before the next election, which is set to take place early next year.

Speaking for the group, CALI chief executive Christine Cupitt said the government must introduce the legislation as soon as possible to ensure Australians can confidently undergo genetic testing without fear.

“Government legislation is critical to ensuring that all Australians have the confidence to get a genetic test without worrying about any future impacts on their ability to get the life insurance cover they need,” Cupitt said.

“We’ve long been clear about the need for strict government regulation to ensure that no one is deterred from taking a genetic test to proactively manage their health.”

As the next federal election looms and parliament is now in its Christmas shutdown period, time is running out.

“Australians want this to happen and so does our industry. It is important the government acts to remove uncertainty in the community by introducing the ban before the next election,” Cupitt said.

“With genetic testing becoming more prevalent, it’s clear that the community needs and expects government regulation as soon as possible.”