February 15, 2023
CHINESE-MADE surveillance cameras are set to be removed from 45 federal parliamentarians' electorate offices in the latest move amid spyware fears.
The Special Minister of State Don Farrell has revealed a number of electorate offices, a total of 65 affected offices, have either Hikvision and Dahua non-networked CCTV security cameras and equipment installed and they are to be replaced.
There are also some Dahua intercoms under investigation. The revelation of the planned removal at MP offices follows similar moves, revealed by The Canberra Times, to strip out Chinese made surveillance cameras from sensitive Defence sites, the Australian War Memorial, and the Geelong head office of the National Disability Insurance Agency.
It also comes after the Chief political correspondent Chinese Foreign Ministry warned last week about "over-stretching the concept of national security and abusing state power" to discriminate against and suppress Chinese companies.
In an answer to a question on notice about Chinese made devices from Liberal senator James Paterson, Senator Farrell has revealed that 88 electorate offices of parliamentarians are now affected.
"A number of electorate offices have either Hikvision and Dahua non-networked CCTV security cameras and equipment installed.
"As part of the current rollout of CCTV upgrades these devices will be replaced," the minister said in the answer to the question on notice.
"Some electorate offices also have non-networked Dahua intercoms. Finance is seeking advice from relevant security agencies as to whether these systems should be replaced."
The Canberra Times sought further information from the office of the Special Minister of State and has been advised the existing CCTV systems are non-networked and they are being replaced as a "precautionary measure".
"At the time the question on notice was asked, 88 offices still had this brand of camera and/or intercom," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"These cameras are currently being replaced." The Department of Finance had previously disclosed it had 122 units at 88 sites.
The Department later clarified in Senate estimates that there 65 offices with CCTV systems, and 45 still need them the systems removed. Last week, Parliament House officials denied Chinese-linked surveillance cameras were used in the building.
The Canberra Times has also sought further details from the Defence Department about its audit of the China-made devices.
Senator Paterson, who was a previous chair of the powerful parliamentary security and intelligence committee, has been asking all departments what Chinese-linked surveillance equipment they have in operation, with a particular focus on brands Hikvision and Dahua, which have been restricted in the United States and the United Kingdom on national security grounds. He has warned that the companies, as well as other Chinese-based technology companies like Huawei, were "beholden to the Chinese Communist Party".
