Surveilance Society: It's here.

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Surveilance Society: It's here.

Brisbane's Queen Street

(Administrator) 2009-08-02, 20:36 #1

Member since May 2011 · 2203 posts · Location: Brisbane
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Subject: Surveilance Society: It's here.

I often watch the BBC cop drama The Bill and wonder how long it'll be before that sort of constant CCTV coverage is here in Australia.

Well, in some places, it already is.

I checked out the CBD today, and in the two short blocks between Central Station and Queen Street I counted 10. I counted more than twenty more between there and Hungry Jacks - one block away. The total count for the Queen Street Mall itself, a mere two blocks, was 44.

Here they all are.

[Image: /grafx/throwaway/Camera1.jpg]

BLEARGH

2009-08-02, 20:45 #2

Member since Apr 2009 · 59 posts · Location: Bendigo
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And now there will be an unmarked van outside your house... :P

2009-08-02, 20:52 #3

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Flowers By Irene?

(Administrator) 2009-08-02, 21:14 #4

Member since May 2011 · 2203 posts · Location: Brisbane
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I have questions about the entire arrangement. I looked at the different cameras and can group them into several types, controlled by different groups. Are they remotely adjustable? Are they being recorded? Are they coordinated? Who gets to see them?

The transit authority has four, one for each underground busway entrance. The city, or whoever's in charge of Queen Street Mall, has 11 or 12 (Which definitely move, one followed me briefly). Twelve are controlled by the three restaurants in the middle (All of which have the same owner). David Jones has no fewer than six on the Queen St side of their operation, and a few more around the corner as well. Myer doesn't seem to have any outside their building, but there's over 9000 of them inside.

BLEARGH

2009-08-02, 21:37 #5

Member since Apr 2009 · 59 posts · Location: Bendigo
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I'm surprised that Myer doesn't have any outside.
Most of them would be recording, and the footage stored for 48-72 hours. That seems to be standard for most places with cameras.I suspect that some of the cameras would be fakes... I've put fake cameras in pubs before, and they do seem to discourage some violent actions.

2009-08-03, 07:46 #6

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Middle one in picture 10 is crying out for a rifle.
Some of them do seem to be grouped a bit closely to be sensible.

"...either stop and think or fuck right off" (TheOutrider)

2009-08-03, 09:13 #7

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We're assuming that all the cameras feed back to the same observation point. If different authorities or agencies want surveillance but aren't willing to share technology, then there will logically be redundant cameras serving the same purpose but for different people. You know, because this wasn't absurd enough already.

(Administrator) 2009-08-03, 10:02 #8

Member since May 2011 · 2203 posts · Location: Brisbane
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There's actually no assumption that they're being fed back to a single point. I did ask earlier Are they coordinated? Who gets to see them? I don't believe they're being coordinated, I don't think people in general, and Australians specifically, are capable of that kind of sophistication.

I do wonder though what kind of hoops need to be jumped through if, for example, law enforcement wanted to track someone. I can imagine after a couple of attempts to gather recordings from six different companies that they'd start coming up with a simplified, coordinated way to request/view the desired footage.

BLEARGH

(Administrator) 2009-08-03, 18:33 #9

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I've just read through the Queensland law regarding CCTV in pubs and clubs. Here it is in its entirety for your enjoyment:

142AH Conditions about closed-circuit television equipment

It is a condition of the licensee's licence that the licensee -

(a) must have closed-circuit television equipment at each entrance and exit of the licensed premises that provides access for patrons of the premises during the trading period; and

(b) must display signage at the premises in a way that is likely to make the patrons aware that closed-circuit

television equipment is installed under paragraph (a); and

(i) meets the minimum requirements for the equipment prescribed under a regulation; and

(ii) is operational and recording for the period starting at 8p.m. in a trading period in which the premises

are open for business and ending at least 1 hour after the premises close for business during or at the end of the trading period; and

(d) must stop selling or supplying liquor on the premises, and close the premises, if the equipment is not

operational and recording during the trading period while the premises are open for business at any time between 1a.m. and when the premises would ordinarily otherwise close for business; and

(e) must not allow the equipment to be operated by anyone other than -

(i) the licensee for the licence; or

(ii) an approved manager working at the premises; and

(f) must keep each recording made by the equipment in a secure place, and available for inspection and viewing

by an investigator, at the premises until the recording -

(i) is erased or destroyed under paragraph (h); or

(ii) is earlier given to an investigator; and

(g) must not allow a recording to be viewed at the premises by anyone other than an investigator or a person

mentioned in paragraph (e); and

(h) must ensure a recording, unless it is earlier given to an investigator, is erased or destroyed by a person

mentioned in paragraph (e) -

(i) if the recording does not show an incident required to be recorded in the licensee's incident register - not earlier than 28 days after the recording is made (the retention period), but within 30 days after the retention period ends; or

(ii) otherwise - not earlier than 1 year after the retention period for the recording ends.

So basically they:

must record the doors, and alert patrons to this

must hold all recordings for 28 days

must destroy all recordings within 30 days after the initial 28

unless it has incident content, then they must preserve it for a year (!)

must ensure the gear works, else they can't sell booze

must not allow the video to be viewed on-premises

except by anyone but the licensee or an investigator

So I guess the guests can view live feeds, but not recorded ones. I think it's weird that the pub must hold the video for a year. I'd have made that the responsibility of the investigators, seems strange.

BLEARGH