[comment caption=Do you support the introduction of inner-city surveillance in Dunedin?] Closed-circuit television cameras could be installed across Dunedin's central business district as part of the rollout of a planned surveillance network, despite cost and privacy concerns.
Councillors at yesterday's planning and environment committee meeting voted 10-2 in favour of introducing CCTV cameras, funded through the 2009-10 annual plan, with only Crs John Bezett and Teresa Stevenson against the move.
A report presented to councillors yesterday had recommended cameras be installed in the Octagon at a cost of $160,000 to $200,000, with the network designed for future expansion.
However, yesterday's vote came only after the recommendation's wording was changed to cover the entire central business district in the first instance.
Cr Neil Collins argued passionately for the cameras, saying they had proven their worth in Auckland and were clearly needed in Dunedin - given rising crime statistics, particularly for alcohol-related crime, each year.
The proposed network should only be a starting point, with more cameras added over time.
Committee chairman Cr Michael Guest also supported their introduction, but warned strict rules would be needed to ensure images did not end up on popular Internet video-sharing sites such as YouTube.
"If you are sitting with people having a drink or something like that in the Octagon, you don't want to suddenly end up on YouTube," he said.
Cr Collins was among those to dismiss privacy concerns: "It's not impinging someone's privacy unless they are doing something stupid or wrong. We have got to take responsibility for this city. We are the city leaders - are we or are we not? If we are, do something about the crime rate after dark."
Cr Dave Cull agreed, saying those caught on camera would be in a public place, while Cr Fliss Butcher insisted the public's perception of the cameras did not amount to fears of "Big Brother".
"People actually feel safer. I don't think we have any choice. We do have increasing violence in the city."
Not all councillors supported the cameras, however.
Cr John Bezett argued other areas of Dunedin needed them more than the Octagon.
He also asked why ratepayers should subsidise the Government's efforts to police Dunedin adequately.
Cr Teresa Stevenson worried the decision would set a precedent for other parts of the city, which would expect the council to fund cameras fully in every area.
She and Cr Kate Wilson said businesses that stood to benefit should be asked to contribute.
However, Cr Wilson also supported a wider network covering more of the CBD: "The problem is if we just do the Octagon, people just go outside of the Octagon to do what they were going to do," she said.
Mayor Peter Chin - a member of the City Safety Leaders Forum that recommended the cameras - said the proposal aimed to give the community a sense of security, even if the authorities' success in combating crime might not always meet public expectations.
"I think it's something we, as a city, need to trial to put in place in the centre of the city, where so much social activity now takes place, basically 24/7."
Council customer advocate Adrian Blair, who prepared yesterday's report, said external funding options had been investigated, but full funding was not available from Government to implement a camera network.
However, he assured councillors a "quite comprehensive" council privacy policy would be applied to the use of CCTV cameras, if implemented.
At the end of yesterday's discussion, Cr Andrew Noone recommended - successfully - council staff investigate offsetting the cost of the cameras, either through a targeted rate or external funding source.
The committee's recommendations will be discussed at the next full council meeting on December 15.
