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Security cameras to be tested in two government-run disability care homes in Adelaide’s south

Security cameras will be used in Adelaide disability care homes for the first time in a new State Government trial.

Security cameras will be installed in two southern Adelaide homes as part of a new State Government trial. File picture
Security cameras will be installed in two southern Adelaide homes as part of a new State Government trial. File picture

Security cameras could be installed in disability care homes across South Australia as the State Government announces a three-month surveillance trial.

CCTV technology will be installed in two supported accommodation homes in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, housing up to five clients each, at a time yet to be determined.

Planning and consultation is now underway to figure out exactly how the trial will work, but permission to use the cameras has already been secured from clients in the two homes.

The cameras will be installed just in the common areas of the properties, with footage saved on a storage system only to be accessed if an incident is reported.

It comes after the death of neglect victim Ann Marie Smith. Although she lived in her own home, the case prompted a 12-member task force to investigate the state’s disability care sector.

The task force made seven key recommendations, but CCTV in supported accommodation was not one of them.

Human services minister Michelle Lensink. Picture: AAP/David Mariuz
Human services minister Michelle Lensink. Picture: AAP/David Mariuz

Human Services minister Michelle Lensink said CCTV would add a layer of security for people living with disabilities, as well as staff.

“People with disability and their families should have full peace of mind about the quality of care they receive,” she said.

The system could be expanded to other disability homes across the state if the trial proves successful.

Ms Lensink emphasised that the cameras would only be used with the consent of residents and their guardians.

“We know that disability support work can present complex and challenging situations and we hope that CCTV will be a useful tool to drive continuous improvement,” she said.

The trial is estimated to cost $30,000 and will begin once consultation is complete.

Partly triggered by the Oakden scandal, SA Health established plans to trial surveillance systems in two aged-care homes – but the project has been plagued by allegations of corruption.

Stewart Johnston, the man who helped lift the lid on Oakden, sensationally quit from a committee looking into the trial, claiming government officials had “vested interests”. SA Health said the claims “could not be substantiated”.

gabriel.polychronis@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/security-cameras-to-be-tested-in-two-governmentrun-disability-care-homes-in-adelaides-south/news-story/741e32113008a8de5e54afe437b70822