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Greetings
I am from QLD and authored the UOAQ article re CCTV which JimmyT published in FlatChat. (Thank you, Jimmy!) It has generated a lot of interest up here in the Sunshine State and I hope it leads to more unit owners giving some thought to the question of CCTV cameras on common property, especially when the cameras are positioned to capture images of people in communal areas like the pool, gym, spa etc. I’d guess that historically, there has been little application of our collective brainpower to this question, and as suggested in my article, the very fact the cameras are tucked away out of sight also means they are also out of mind.
My particular interest here is the level of transparency and disclosure appropriate to the CCTV installations, ie should there be signage about their presence, OR should the signs also advise that all owners may view the footage subject to paying a nominal statutory fee and also obtain snapshots at a mere cost of 65 cents each.
Interestingly, I attended a webinar today about the QLD right of access to body corporate records, with particular focus on CCTV. The webinar was hosted by a senior strata lawyer Frank Higginson of Hynes Legal and by Chris Irons the former Body Corporate Commissioner. When asked whether the signage should also reference the owners’ right to view/copy the footage, they both replied that while there may not be any legal requirement to do so, it should be observed as a Best Practice. I found it quite heartening that at least two leaders in our QLD strata world think this way and are prepared to put their views out there in public.
I realise that full disclosure may alarm some people, particularly the holiday rental managers, but perhaps this is the best way to test how genuine their support is for the cameras in the first. Personally, I would have doubts about the integrity of anyone who champions the installations but then goes quiet about telling people about the full implications of the footage.
Many thanks