The Nationals Member for Rodney Paul Weller has attacked the Brumby Government for treating innocent Victorians like convicted criminals.
In State Parliament today Mr Weller joined his Coalition colleagues in condemning the government for handing personal police files of law-abiding country Victorians to privately owned companies.
“It has been revealed that northern Victorians who have been protesting about the State Government’s controversial North South pipeline could have become the subject of police files which the government has handed over to private contractors,” he said.
“Apparently, under an agreement with the State Government, police files on the activities of those who have protested against the pipeline, the Wonthaggi desalination plant and other projects have been made available to project developers to ensure the protection of public safety.
“This is an appalling breach of privacy and it has horrified ordinary country Victorians in my electorate who have been exercising their democratic right to protest against Labor Government policies and projects.”
Mr Weller said it was bad enough that innocent people had become the subject of police files in the first place, but to have those files handed to private enterprise was simply unacceptable.
“I am pleased to see the Privacy Commissioner has requested an urgent briefing on the matter and has also called in the Office of Police Integrity and the Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security to assist in the investigations,” he said.
“Premier John Brumby and his Government cannot be trusted to protect the privacy of law-abiding country Victorians.”
Media contact: Leonie Canham (03) 5482 2039
