Queensland’s Opposition has vowed to release two long-awaited privacy reviews into the state’s traffic camera program if it comes into power, which it did. The commitment comes as concerns mount over how private images captured by mobile and seatbelt detection cameras are being handled by government agencies.
What’s Driving the Controversy?
The pole-mounted cameras, which were introduced in late 2021, have detected more than 350,000 violations, including drivers using mobile phones and failing to wear seatbelts. These offenses have resulted in over $400 million in fines.
While an artificial intelligence system initially flags potential violations, human officers review and confirm each case before issuing fines. Despite assurances of strict privacy protocols, civil liberty advocates warn there is no way to verify that captured images are being stored and handled appropriately.
The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties (QCCL) has raised concerns about the potential for "quasi-intimate" moments to be recorded by the cameras. They argue that transparency is needed to ensure the images are not misused.
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Unreleased Reviews Spark Outrage
The Queensland Transport Department commissioned an external privacy review in 2022, followed by a second review in early 2024. However, neither has been released to the public. Transport Minister Bart Mellish has stated that the government intends to publish the findings but has not provided a timeline for when that will happen.
Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie has accused the Labor government of deliberately withholding the reports ahead of the election, questioning what they might be trying to hide.
“These reports should be released, but Labor is desperately hiding them before an election. The question is why?” Bleijie stated.
Terry O’Gorman, vice president of the QCCL, also weighed in, arguing there is no justification for keeping the reports secret.
“There’s no reason, security-wise or otherwise, why those two reports should not be made public so that the media and the public can say, ‘Yes, the privacy considerations have been properly addressed,’” he said.
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Government Defends Its Position
The Queensland Transport Department has insisted that privacy measures are in place and that recommendations from the first review have already been implemented. A spokesperson previously stated that "many strict controls" exist to safeguard personal data.
Minister Mellish has assured that efforts are underway to expedite the publication of the reviews but has not committed to a release date.
What’s Next?
As the election approaches, the debate over traffic camera privacy is set to intensify. If the Opposition wins power, Queenslanders could finally get a look at what these reviews contain. Until then, questions remain about how much control the government has over private images and whether more stringent oversight is needed.
With concerns over both privacy and revenue generation, the controversy over Queensland’s traffic cameras is far from over.
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Dylan Anderson
Dylan Anderson
