2026-09-24
The Victorian Greens say revelations that a rogue OpenAI agent interacted with the Victorian Department of Health website as part of its testing should be a wake-up call for the Carroll Labor Government over its rush to embrace AI.
The Prime Minister has confirmed an OpenAI agent gained unauthorised access to non-public information held on a federal Medicare statistics portal in June. Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles has also confirmed the agent interacted with the Victorian Department of Health website, although the government says only publicly available information was accessed from the Victorian site.
The revelations come just months after the Victorian Greens warned Labor against rushing AI into Victoria’s public hospital system without clear safeguards for patient information, transparency about how the technology would be used, or proper public scrutiny.
They also come as the Victorian Labor Government continues to encourage investment in AI infrastructure and data centres across the state, and fails to listen to resounding community demands for a moratorium.
Victorian Greens spokesperson for AI and Data Centres Dr Sarah Mansfield said:
“Three months ago we warned Labor that rushing AI into Victoria’s public health system without strong safeguards was a risk. Now we learn a rogue OpenAI agent was interacting with the Department of Health website.
“The Albanese government says the Victorian site was not breached and only public information was accessed. But the fact an AI agent went on to break through protections on a federal Medicare portal should set off alarm bells.
“Victorians entrust our public health system with some of the most sensitive information imaginable. Labor needs to explain exactly what happened when this OpenAI agent interacted with the Department of Health website, what protections are currently in place, and whether any other Victorian government systems have been targeted.
“This is exactly why governments should regulate first rather than rolling out the red carpet for multinational AI corporations and asking questions later.
“The Victorian Greens have been calling for a moratorium on new AI data centres. Today’s revelations make the need for caution even clearer.”