Thursday 10 November 2022 04:08 AM Clare O'Neil makes emotional speech about Medibank 'abortion leak' trends now
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Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil has given an impassioned speech to parliament vowing to track down and and punish the 'scumbag' Medibank hackers.
Cybercriminals stole the medical data of thousands of Medibank Private members and after their ransom demands were refused, leaked some on the dark web.
Hackers claimed some of the data included details of women's abortions, and threatened to leak more unless they were paid US$9.7 million.
Ms O'Neil warned the leak would likely get worse and during Question Time on Thursday acknowledged 'those fears have been realised'.
'I want to say, particularly to the women whose private health information has been compromised overnight, I know this is a really difficult time,' she said.
'I want you to know that as a parliament and as a government, we stand with you. You are entitled to keep your health information private and what has occurred here is morally reprehensible and it is criminal.'
Ms O'Neil grew emotional as she spoke, her voice wavering and her eyes welling with rage and sadness at what Australian women may suffer.
'I want the scumbags behind this attack to know that the smartest and toughest people in this country are coming after you,' she declared.
The minister said Medicare would step in to help affected Australians replace their documents and give them
