Auditor-general raises doubts over councils’ handling of CCTV privacy

VICTORIAN councils were failing to properly monitor their CCTV systems, putting citizens’ privacy at risk, a report by the state Auditor-General has found.

VICTORIAN councils were failing to properly monitor their CCTV systems, putting citizens’ privacy at risk, according to a report by state Auditor-General Andrew Greaves.

It called for council privacy policies for security-cameras to be reviewed and updated.

The report said poor security and weak systems management led to concerns about how footage and information was collected and stored.

The office studied five councils — Melbourne, Whitehorse, Horsham, East Gippsland and Hume — that have more than 1100 cameras in their municipalities.

MORE NEWS: BROWNLOW RED CARPET 2018

WHERE IT ALL WENT WRONG FOR KARL

HOW ABC BOSS CAME UNDONE

“The councils we examined in this audit could not demonstrate that they are consistently meeting their commitments to the community to ensure the protection of private information collected through CCTV systems,’’ the report concluded.

Even though no inappropriate use of footage was identified, or any complaint lodged, the audit was not satisfied breaches had not happened.

“Given the weaknesses that we identified in security and access controls, and the lack of review of how CCTV systems are being used, the absence of evidence of inappropriate use of council CCTV doesn’t provide strong assurance that no such incidents have occurred.’’

Councils were not adequately scrutinising the operation and use of most of their CCTV systems, the report said.

Victorian councils were failing to properly monitor their CCTV systems, putting citizens’ privacy at risk, according to a report.

The report made nine recommendations for the five councils, calling for an overhaul of CCTV set-up operations to guarantee state privacy provisions were met.

Melbourne, East Gippsland and Horsham councils have already provided action plans in response to the report.

Extra cameras have been installed in Melbourne’s CBD in the aftermath of the Bourke St and Flinders St car attacks.

A City of Melbourne spokesperson said cameras helped to create a safer environment and reduce crime levels.

“Ensuring the highest levels of privacy protection is extremely important to council. Our priority has been the integrity and operational effectiveness of the Safe City Camera Program and the audit shows the effectiveness of these efforts.’’

[e-mail]

@IanRoyall