[Greens-Media] Govt sits on NSW surveillance and privacy law reform reports

[Alison Orme]

Media Release - 21 June 2007

Govt sits on NSW surveillance and privacy law reform reports

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has used parliament to force the NSW government to release two long overdue reports on NSW surveillance and privacy laws that have sat on the Attorney General's desk for a combination of five years.

"Surveillance is rapidly becoming more common in this state, aided by new technology and anti-terrorism measures," Ms Rhiannon said. 

"At the same time, the Iemma government has abandoned its responsibilities to provide a proper regulatory framework to protect people from unjustified surveillance and invasions of their privacy.

The NSW Law Reform Commission's report on Surveillance has been with the Attorney General since May 2005, but was only tabled yesterday following a call for papers by the Greens.  

"There has been a new penetration of surveillance technology by law enforcement authorities, private investigators, the media, and through traffic and crowd control. 

"We are now observed at shopping centres, railway stations and on tollways and at work through email and internet surveillance. Surveillance to track people's movements and actions is increasingly in use post September 11.

"The Iemma government has failed to design modern and effective surveillance and privacy laws to deal with this growth of overt and covert surveillance.

"If the government fails to act on this long overdue surveillance report further developments in surveillance technology and activity will rapidly overtake it," Ms Rhiannon said.

The Attorney-General has also failed to table its report of the review of the NSW Privacy Act which was due on 30 November 2004. The Greens are moving a motion today in NSW Parliament to secure its release.

"The Greens suspect this report is being used as a backdoor exercise to abolish Privacy NSW which the government tried but failed to do in 2003," Ms Rhiannon said. 

"NSW has very weak privacy legislation that is riddled by holes, overseen by a privacy watchdog that has been gutted of staff, expertise and resources," Ms Rhiannon said. 

For more information:  Lee Rhiannon - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
The Surveillance report is at: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lrc/ll_lrc.nsf/pages/LRC_r108toc 


Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Wed-Fri)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme at parliament.nsw.gov.au 
Web www.leerhiannon.org.au