Camera surveillance systems and your privacy

Legal Aid Queensland is committed to ensuring that personal information collected in our offices by camera surveillance systems (i.e. ‘CCTV’) is handled in accordance with the Queensland Privacy Principles contained in the Information Privacy Act 2009.

Purpose

Legal Aid Queensland uses camera surveillance to monitor and record activity in its offices for the following purposes:

  • as a deterrence to inappropriate or criminal behaviour
  • to ensure public and staff safety
  • to assist in the protection of Legal Aid Queensland property and visitors’ property
  • to assist in crime investigation, should an incident occur
  • to increase public perception of safety in LAQ offices.

Security, storage and retention

CCTV footage is stored securely and will only be viewed and accessed by authorised officers. The footage is retained in accordance with the Public Records Act 2002, which in most cases is 30 to 90 days, unless it is required for official purposes, or as a public record.

Release of footage to an agency (e.g. law enforcement)

CCTV footage may be provided/disclosed to another agency in limited circumstances if the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is satisfied that the disclosure is permitted by the Information Privacy Act 2009. For example, CCTV footage may be disclosed if it is:

  • required or authorised under an Australian law or by a court/tribunal
  • reasonably necessary for a law enforcement agency for one of its enforcement-related activities (e.g. the Queensland Police Service); or
  • necessary to less or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of an individual or the public health/safety.

Public request for access to footage

Requests from the public for access to footage must be made on the Right to Information Access Application Form found on the Legal Aid Queensland website. The decision as to whether to release footage is made in accordance with the Right to Information Act 2009 by the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer.

Complaints about the way surveillance camera footage is collected, stored, used or disclosed

If you believe Legal Aid Queensland has breached your privacy in relation to surveillance footage containing images of you, you may make a privacy complaint. Your complaint will be investigated in accordance with Legal Aid Queensland’s Complaints Management Policy and the Information Privacy Act 2009.

Legal Aid Queensland’s Privacy Policy has further information about how it handles personal information and how to make a privacy complaint.

Last updated 7 April 2026

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