Australians given extension to opt out of My Health records system

Australians now have until the end of January to opt out of the My Health records system, after the senate accepted a compromise from One Nation.

The deadline was tomorrow, but the government agreed to the extension.

The Upper Hose had earlier voted down a move by Labor to extend the period by 12 months to give people more time, and for tighter privacy protections to be legislated.

Unless people ask to be excluded their records will be included in a nationwide data bank.

Health Minister Greg Hunt had extended the opt out period for a month, but was resisting attempts to go further.