Aged-Care CCTV

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing about CCTV cameras.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: In response to one of my conga line of questions recently regarding the CCTV camera trial in residential care facilities, I pointed out that SA Health has many Hikvision cameras, which the pilot steering committee says aren't good enough for its trial. Instead, they prefer cameras costing $1,000 each. Hikvision cameras are high definition, suited for the surveillance required.

The minister then told us that they weren't used by defence and certain commonwealth departments for security reasons and therefore were not good enough for our government. The reason for that is obvious, particularly when greater analytical capacity is required, that is, facial recognition, numberplates, which is quite understandable in defence and security matters.

However, there are countless Hikvision cameras in use around Australia. They are everywhere: government, local government, homes, businesses. They are endless, without any security concerns. The vision is so acceptable that they are actually used in our courts. My questions to the minister are:

1. When challenged, he said that the government was going to phase out its Hikvision cameras. Just how many Hikvision cameras are used in every government department, including his own?

2. How long would this phase-out period take?

3. What type of cameras will replace them and at what cost for each camera?

4. How much will this phase-out cost taxpayers?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:23): I thank the honourable member for his question. In relation to other agencies of government, I will certainly need to seek further advice. My recollection—and I will also seek to confirm this for the honourable member—is that SA Health currently has 10 remaining Hikvision cameras and that they will all be removed. We do believe that we have a responsibility to make sure that we can provide assurance to both the residents and the staff of facilities where we are using CCTV technology that the security of those services is beyond question.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Pangallo, the time for questions without notice has expired, so—

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Yes, Mr President. I was just wondering whether I could submit those questions on notice for the minister because he hasn't answered them.

The PRESIDENT: You can do that in the next question time or you can put them on the Notice Paper. Can I just add by way of friendly advice that they were excellently crafted questions, but they did not require a short explanation with rhetorical flourishes.