Australia to remove Chinese cameras from war memorial for ‘national security’
- Officials say they’re concerned that 11 surveillance cameras manufactured by Hikvision could be used for spying. An MP called the move ‘appropriate’
- It follows a UK ban on Chinese security cameras from sensitive buildings. There are 189 other cameras made by different manufacturers at the memorial
Eleven surveillance cameras manufactured by Hikvision, partly owned by Chinese state investors, will be removed from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra by mid-2023, according to the Canberra Times. A further 189 cameras at the site are supplied by different manufacturers.
The Australian War Memorial said in a statement on Wednesday it did not comment on security matters. Hikvision did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Australian opposition senator James Paterson said on Wednesday he is conducting a full audit of all government departments and agencies for possible exposure to Chinese-made surveillance devices.
Paterson first raised the issue of Chinese-made surveillance equipment during public hearings last year.
“The War Memorial is to be commended in a sense that they recognise that they have these devices and that they should be removed,” Paterson told ABC TV on Wednesday.