[Greens-Media] Media release: Greens push for proper regulation on council CCTV

[David Shoebridge]

24 May 2013

Greens push for proper regulation on council CCTV





The Greens have moved a motion in the NSW Parliament seeking to ensure that if councils spend thousands of dollars on CCTV cameras, that these cameras must be useful, fit for purpose and compliant with privacy laws.



Following a damning decision in the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) (here http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/NSWADT/2013/94.html) that rejected the basis on which Shoalhaven Council operated its CCTV cameras, the O'Farrell Government hastily brought in regulations to exempt all council CCTV operations from the requirements of the privacy laws.



David Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson for Local Government said:



"If this motion is successful it will not prohibit councils from having CCTV, it will just mean they have to comply with requirements in the Privacy Act and have a basic level of competence in their operation.



"Apparently the Government thinks that even this moderate requirement is too onerous where increasing CCTV surveillance is concerned.



"CCTV alone is not a solution to crime, at best it provides some marginal deterrence within a wider suite of strategies.



The ADT found that "[The] available data suggests that since the Council's CCTV program was implemented crime has increased in the Nowra CBD in the categories of assaults, break and enters and malicious damage."



"The overreliance on CCTV by councils and others as a solution to managing public spaces does not prevent crime, and does not improve public safety.



"The Greens are calling on all councils and the Government to recognise community concern about CCTV and ensure that if they are installed then they are useful, fit for purpose and respect the privacy laws.



Disallowance Motion



The Greens are calling on the O'Farrell government to give Aboriginal people control over

1. Mr Shoebridge to move-

That, under section 41 of the Interpretation Act 1987, this House disallows the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Amendment (CCTV) Regulation 2013, published on the NSW Legislation website on 10 May 2013.

(Notice given 23 May 2013)







David Shoebridge

Greens MP in the NSW Legislative Council

P: (02) 9230 3030 |Media: 0433 753 376 |T: @ShoebridgeMLC<http://twitter.com/#!/shoebridgemlc>

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