Speed camera operator set for $20.5m over five years

THE speed camera operator which presided over a virus outbreak is set to reap $4 million this year from taxpayers.

The speed camera operator which presided over a virus outbreak is set to reap $4 million this year from taxpayers. Generic picture: Andrew Batsch

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THE speed camera operator which presided over a virus outbreak, bringing Victoria’s traffic enforcement system to a standstill, is set to reap $4 million this year from taxpayers.

The Herald Sun can reveal Redflex’s contract to operate the fixed cameras — which was extended by a year in January — is worth $20.5 million over five years.

The system is under intense scrutiny after a maintenance worker inserted a USB stick ­infected with a suspected computer virus into a number of cameras.

A freeze has been put on all red-light and fixed-camera speeding fines issued since June 6 while Victoria’s Road Safety Camera Commissioner John Voyage investigates the virus outbreak.

The Andrews Government hasn’t ruled out axing the contract with Redflex if the investigation finds the company mishandled the issue.

It is understood the government could put the contract out to tender and include stronger cybersecurity obligations on the next operator.

This would include requirements that the operator immediately report any computer viruses to the government and measures that would have ­prevented a camera tester using an infected USB stick.

It comes after Police Minister Lisa Neville was twice kept in the dark over the problems.

Police Minister Lisa Neville was twice kept in the dark over the speed camera virus problems. Picture: Norm Oorloff

Ms Neville said Mr Voyage’s investigation would look at every fixed camera in Victoria and make sure that they were all operating “accurately and reliably”.

“This is an incredibly high priority for the government and the Commissioner, and it is important that we get this right,” Ms Neville said. “The Commissioner will deliver his report as soon as possible.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he couldn’t understand how the minister was not informed before the contract was extended by one year in January.

Redflex has been plagued by a number of controversies in recent years, last year ­paying $US20 million to the City of Chicago to settle a ­bribery scandal.

The former Coalition government signed a three-year contract with Redflex in 2013, which included two automatic annual extensions.

It will expire in January next year.

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