Cancer record decision controversy

A former senior bureaucrat believes an expected announcement by the health minister is outside caretaker government rules.

Stephen Duckett, who headed the health department, was responding to reports the government will declare Telstra the winner of a contract to centralise cancer testing records.

"I'm extremely surprised because this is exactly the sort of thing that is not supposed to happen during an election campaign," Mr Duckett told ABC radio on Thursday.

The government argues the plan to privatise the records was first announced in the 2015 budget.

The service will centralise existing records of positive test results recorded during cervical and bowel cancer screening, and will alert patients when tests are due.