Alpine Shire Council adopted the new Surveillance Technology Policy, which consolidates existing policies into one clear framework to ensure Council manages surveillance activities in a coordinated, transparent, and legally compliant manner.
This public policy is necessary to ensure that Council's use of surveillance technologies aligns with current legislation, protects the privacy of people living in or visiting Alpine Shire, and is applied consistently by all staff across the organisation.
The policy will see the implementation of the following:
- Explicit definitions for when an activity is considered surveillance;
- Strong safeguards for community privacy and data protection;
- A new internal Surveillance Oversight Committee to oversee all surveillance activities;
- A central register of approved surveillance devices; and,
- Clear pathways for community enquiries or complaints.
The policy does not allow for the use of artificial intelligence or facial recognition technology.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, emphasised the importance of this policy to ensure that there is a clear framework in place to guide both Council officers and community members.
"It is really important that we are making sure the governance around surveillance is tight and transparent," she said.
"I thank all the people who took the time to comment on the draft policy, which was made available for public comment for a period of 28 days in May of this year."
The new policy outlines how Council will comply with the Surveillance Devices Act 1999 and Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and replaces Council's existing Body Worn Camera Policy and CCTV Surveillance Cameras Policy, which were both revoked at the meeting.
The Surveillance Technology Policy can be viewed on Council's website by visiting https://www.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/privacy