Abbott promises $50 million in CCTV blitz

8 Oct 2012, 5:23 pm   -   Source: AAP
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a coalition government will spend $50 million on CCTV cameras. (AAP)

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a coalition government will spend $50 million on CCTV cameras. (AAP)

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says a coalition government will spend $50 million on CCTV cameras in crime hot spots across Australia.

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Tony Abbott has pledged that funds seized from criminals will pay for CCTV cameras and security lights in some of Australia's crime hot spots if the federal coalition wins government.

Mr Abbott has earmarked $50 million, to be spent over four years, to install the crime-fighting technology in dangerous areas.

He unveiled the plan in Melbourne on Monday, less than a fortnight after footage from an inner-city CCTV camera helped police to make an arrest in the high-profile case of Brunswick woman Jill Meagher's disappearance.

Mr Abbott said the Howard government took plans for funding CCTV cameras into the 2007 federal election and Monday's announcement was not in response to the Meagher case.

"This is an ongoing, long-term concern of ours but obviously we've had recent evidence of how vital CCTV footage can be, however this is not something we've only discovered in the last few weeks," he told reporters.

Mr Abbott visited the Chapel Street nightlife strip where 10 CCTV cameras were recently fitted, from South Yarra to Windsor, to help police monitor the behaviour of revellers.

Under the proposed scheme local councils, with the backing of police, would be able to apply for funds to set up cameras and lights.

"Crime should not pay and where crime does pay it should pay in the long run for safer communities," Mr Abbott said.

The plan would reverse the Gillard government's move to freeze spending from the proceeds of crime fund, he said.

"We'll ensure the money is split up between the various states and territories on a fair and proportionate basis," Mr Abbott said.

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu, who joined Mr Abbott in South Yarra, said the Meagher case was a reminder of the capabilities of CCTV.

Police used the camera in a Brunswick shop near where Ms Meagher was last seen to identify the man who was later charged with her murder.

"With the tragic events around the Jill Meagher case we've obviously seen it (benefits) very, very graphically and I think it's just a reminder that these cameras can play an important role in community safety," Mr Baillieu said.

He declined to name the Melbourne crime hot spots that could benefit from the cameras, saying police were best placed to make the call.

The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) spokesman Greg Barns said the cameras could breach privacy rights, be misused by authorities and violate civil liberties.

"A line definitely needs to be drawn in the sand as to where these cameras are installed and public accountability for authorities accessing footage without due cause," Mr Barns said in a statement.

"The ALA shares every Victorian's horror over the death of Jill Meagher, but it is important to ensure we don't create a dangerous Big Brother state, where people access footage for reasons that are not in the public interest."

Mr Barns said there was a false community perception that the cameras would help solve more crimes, but that was not supported by global facts.

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