Chinese-made security cameras removed from 88 politicians’ offices

Chinese-made surveillance cameras and intercom systems are being removed from the neighbourhood offices of almost 100 federal politicians over security concerns.

The Department of Finance revealed in Senate estimates on Tuesday that 122 devices made by Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua have been installed in the electorate offices of 88 federal MPs.

Liberal senator James Paterson.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The government is moving to remove and replace all the devices, which have been banned by governments in the United States and Britain.

An audit of government departments led by Liberal Senator James Paterson last week revealed that at least 913 Chinese-made devices were installed at government departments across the country.

The US Federal Communications Commission has warned the devices pose an “unacceptable risk to national security” due to possible espionage and spyware issues.

Both Hikvision and Dahua are subject to China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law, which requires companies to hand over data to intelligence services if requested.

The companies have also been placed on a US trade blacklist over Beijing’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region.

In response to questions from Liberal Senator Claire Chandler, Finance Department officials said the cameras still needed to be removed from 45 offices while the removal of intercom systems was in a more advanced stage.

Federal MPs’ electorate offices are located in their local community and are routinely visited by constituents raising concerns with their local member.

None of the devices were installed at politicians’ offices at Parliament House in Canberra.

Senator Penny WongCredit: AAP

Officials said the department wrote to politicians in July, soon after the election of the Albanese government, to advise them the devices should be replaced.

Paterson, the opposition cybersecurity minister, said he was shocked by the prevalence of the cameras in Australian government buildings.

“We urgently need a plan from the Albanese government to rip every one of these devices out of Australian government departments and agencies,” Paterson said.

China’s Foreign Ministry has accused the Australian government of discriminating against Chinese products and “abusing state power to discriminate against and suppress Chinese companies”.

The government has said that security concerns about the devices have existed for years, raising questions about why the Coalition had not acted to remove them when in power.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said last week that she had asked her department to speed up the replacement of the cameras despite having minimal security concerns about their operation in sensitive areas such as defence and foreign affairs.

“The advice to me is [that] they don’t have security concerns because they’re not connected to the internet, and they’re not connected to our own system,” Wong told the ABC on Friday. “But obviously, there was a decision made to remove them, and I’ve asked that be accelerated.”

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