Melissa Jenkins
September 23, 2010 - 7:14PM
A deal between Victoria Police and a consortium building the Wonthaggi desalination plant to share information on protesters did not properly consider Victorians' human rights.
Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security David Watts investigated the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between police and the AquaSure consortium at the request of Police Minister Bob Cameron in December 2009.
Mr Watts found no evidence that police had released sensitive information to AquaSure under the MOU.
But he said the deal imposed obligations that extended beyond the legal requirements.
"The MOU did not adequately take account of Victoria's human rights, information privacy and law enforcement data security laws and did not establish the mechanisms necessary to support compliance with them," Mr Watts said in a statement on Thursday.
Mr Watts recommended reforms to police law enforcement data sharing practices, including the establishment of a register of data release arrangements and a review of police information release policies.
AAP revealed in August that Victoria Police had a secret deal with the AFL to share information on hundreds of football league identities.
Premier John Brumby has said the desalination plant will cost $5.72 billion, including $3.5 billion for construction and the remaining sum for maintenance, operations and payments to AquaSure for turning out 150 billion litres of water each year.
But a Department of Sustainability and Environment report released last week put the nominal value of the project over the life of the 27.75-year contract at $15.8 billion.
In December 2009, Mr Brumby told parliament any Victoria Police MOUs abided by the law.
"They (Victoria Police) have made it absolutely clear today that any MOU is consistent with the laws under which they operate," he told the lower house.
On Thursday, Mr Cameron said police had to lift their game on MOUs.
"Victoria Police will really have to go about the business of putting in place better arrangements for the future," he told reporters.
"There should be more sensible and clearer written MOUs with clearer obligations and understandings in the future.
"But anyone who had any concern about information being exchanged willy-nilly ... that can't occur. The normal law applies."
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said Mr Watts' report confirmed concerns raised by the coalition about privacy breaches.
"John Brumby and his government cannot be trusted with the sensitive personal information of Victorians," he said.
"The Brumby government's claims that there was nothing to be concerned about have now been revealed as a complete load of rubbish."
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the force established a working group several weeks ago to review all MOUs the organisation had entered into, as well as related policies.
"This work is being undertaken as quickly and efficiently as possible," she said.
The spokeswoman said Victoria Police was working with other parties to address recommendations specifically relating to the desalination plant MOU.
"Victoria Police accepts that this is an area in which improvements need to be made and that is why we have a working group to address issues and improve our processes," she said.
"The MOU was set up in good faith to ensure clarity around the way we interact with the organisations involved.
"It is unfortunate that some wording has created a false impression that Victoria Police is going to freely hand over confidential and private information to other agencies.
"No sensitive personal data has ever been released to AquaSure."
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Vic govt pledges extra $42m for homeless
Melissa Jenkins
September 23, 2010
Some 1000 Victorians will benefit from new programs to reduce homelessness, as the state opposition comes under pressure to release its policy on the issue.
The state government will spend $42 million on projects aimed at six key groups including young homeless people, the short-term homeless and older homeless people.
The opposition criticised the government for releasing its 2020 homeless strategy two months late, but has yet to release its own policy.
Premier John Brumby said the programs would benefit 1000 people, about five per cent of the state's homeless.
"This isn't just about bricks and mortar, it's about providing support across the board," Mr Brumby said on Thursday at the strategy launch.
"It's about addressing the causes of homelessness."
About 20,000 people are without a home across Victoria every night.
David Mudge, 45, lived out of his car for about three years.
"It can happen to pretty much anybody - a family death, a loss of job, family breakdown, incarceration and, of course, release ... homeless on the streets," Mr Mudge said.
"It's very much a loss of power and self-esteem when somebody is homeless."
Mr Mudge said more needed to be done to help people after they secured accommodation, including financial and mental health support.
Opposition housing spokeswoman Wendy Lovell said the fact that the government's strategy was 115 days late was significant for people sleeping in tents or under bridges.
"It's a cynical move by this government to release this strategy just 65 days before the state election," Ms Lovell said.
Ms Lovell travelled to Melbourne from Shepparton in the state's north to talk about homelessness and then declined to detail the Coalition's policy.
"We'll be releasing our policies in the lead-up to the election," she told reporters.
"We're not the government, we'll be releasing policies for an election."
Ms Lovell said the opposition's policy would be designed to cut the waiting list for public housing.
The average waiting time was 8.5 months, she said, but she did not nominate a target wait time the Coalition would work towards.
Ms Lovell said the Coalition would increase the number of public housing places available and improve property maintenance.
"We need to address homelessness more at the early intervention stage," she said.
The Victorian Council of Social Service chief executive Cath Smith said she looked forward to the government announcing further funding for public housing.
An extra 29,000 public houses needed to be built over the next four years and the building program should be funded by both the state and federal governments, Ms Smith said.
With the November 27 election fast approaching, Ms Smith said she was calling on the opposition to release its homelessness strategy.
"We need to urgently see the Coalition's homelessness policy," she told AAP.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne said the government's six new projects would be evaluated after three and a half years.
The $42 million was in addition to an annual investment of more than $170 million in projects aimed at reducing homelessness, Mr Wynne said.
"We are looking to use this $42 million with the community sector, with philanthropy and also with the business community," he said
September 23, 2010
Some 1000 Victorians will benefit from new programs to reduce homelessness, as the state opposition comes under pressure to release its policy on the issue.
The state government will spend $42 million on projects aimed at six key groups including young homeless people, the short-term homeless and older homeless people.
The opposition criticised the government for releasing its 2020 homeless strategy two months late, but has yet to release its own policy.
Premier John Brumby said the programs would benefit 1000 people, about five per cent of the state's homeless.
"This isn't just about bricks and mortar, it's about providing support across the board," Mr Brumby said on Thursday at the strategy launch.
"It's about addressing the causes of homelessness."
About 20,000 people are without a home across Victoria every night.
David Mudge, 45, lived out of his car for about three years.
"It can happen to pretty much anybody - a family death, a loss of job, family breakdown, incarceration and, of course, release ... homeless on the streets," Mr Mudge said.
"It's very much a loss of power and self-esteem when somebody is homeless."
Mr Mudge said more needed to be done to help people after they secured accommodation, including financial and mental health support.
Opposition housing spokeswoman Wendy Lovell said the fact that the government's strategy was 115 days late was significant for people sleeping in tents or under bridges.
"It's a cynical move by this government to release this strategy just 65 days before the state election," Ms Lovell said.
Ms Lovell travelled to Melbourne from Shepparton in the state's north to talk about homelessness and then declined to detail the Coalition's policy.
"We'll be releasing our policies in the lead-up to the election," she told reporters.
"We're not the government, we'll be releasing policies for an election."
Ms Lovell said the opposition's policy would be designed to cut the waiting list for public housing.
The average waiting time was 8.5 months, she said, but she did not nominate a target wait time the Coalition would work towards.
Ms Lovell said the Coalition would increase the number of public housing places available and improve property maintenance.
"We need to address homelessness more at the early intervention stage," she said.
The Victorian Council of Social Service chief executive Cath Smith said she looked forward to the government announcing further funding for public housing.
An extra 29,000 public houses needed to be built over the next four years and the building program should be funded by both the state and federal governments, Ms Smith said.
With the November 27 election fast approaching, Ms Smith said she was calling on the opposition to release its homelessness strategy.
"We need to urgently see the Coalition's homelessness policy," she told AAP.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne said the government's six new projects would be evaluated after three and a half years.
The $42 million was in addition to an annual investment of more than $170 million in projects aimed at reducing homelessness, Mr Wynne said.
"We are looking to use this $42 million with the community sector, with philanthropy and also with the business community," he said
Friday, September 17, 2010
Govt disputes desalination costs
By Terry Rickard ABC News
The Victorian Government says figures published today on the cost of the Wonthaggi desalination plant are misleading.
Figures published in reports to Parliament this week show the plant will cost taxpayers almost $16 billion over the next three decades, even if no water is needed.
That has prompted a 'please explain' from Nationals Leader Peter Ryan.
"Every business and family have been loaded up with a debt of about $9,500," he said.
But the Water Minister Tim Holding says the figure is misleading.
"The important figure for taxpayers is the total cost of the water security payment and the total cost of the water audit over the 27 years," he said.
"The nett present cost of the desalination project is $5.72 billion."
Mr Holding says the larger figure is mentioned to meet the requirements of accounting standards and the auditor general.
"Many of the different figures are not credibly relevant in terms of providing information to taxpayers about the intricacies of the arrangement the Government has struck with Aquasure," he said.
The debate comes after 12 months of improved rainfall, with Melbourne's dams filled to 45 per cent of capacity.
The Victorian Government says figures published today on the cost of the Wonthaggi desalination plant are misleading.
Figures published in reports to Parliament this week show the plant will cost taxpayers almost $16 billion over the next three decades, even if no water is needed.
That has prompted a 'please explain' from Nationals Leader Peter Ryan.
"Every business and family have been loaded up with a debt of about $9,500," he said.
But the Water Minister Tim Holding says the figure is misleading.
"The important figure for taxpayers is the total cost of the water security payment and the total cost of the water audit over the 27 years," he said.
"The nett present cost of the desalination project is $5.72 billion."
Mr Holding says the larger figure is mentioned to meet the requirements of accounting standards and the auditor general.
"Many of the different figures are not credibly relevant in terms of providing information to taxpayers about the intricacies of the arrangement the Government has struck with Aquasure," he said.
The debate comes after 12 months of improved rainfall, with Melbourne's dams filled to 45 per cent of capacity.
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