Traffic Monitoring Cameras

Ms ARMITAGE question to the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, Mrs Hiscutt -

With regard to cameras installed at traffic intersections, given the obvious benefits for recording and retaining footage from traffic monitoring cameras, including for the purposes of assisting police investigations, as well as planning for traffic infrastructure and road user safety, what are the reasons for the Department of State Growth not recording and retaining footage from traffic monitoring cameras?

Ms Hiscutt -The Department of State Growth has advised that it operates and maintains traffic monitoring cameras at various locations for the purpose of managing the State Road Network. These cameras feed back to the State Roads Traffic Management Centre, from where operators monitor traffic conditions which allows them to adjust traffic signal timing, variable speed limits and other devices installed around the network as appropriate.Operators can pan, tilt and zoom, to suit the operational needs at the time. It is not possible to predict at any particular time the view that will be available from any of the traffic monitoring cameras, meaning capturing footage of a particular incident is not guaranteed.Footage from traffic monitoring cameras is also provided in real time to Tasmania Police, enabling them to monitor conditions directly.The Department has also advised that the image resolution that is available from the traffic monitoring cameras is such that it is possible to detect significant details, including information that could potentially be used to identify individuals. Due to concerns around the management of this potentially sensitive data, the Department’s policy is to not record or retain traffic monitoring camera footage.