The Justice and Equity Centre has made a submission to NSW Police’s Have Your Say consultation on the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems trial in Moree (‘drone trial’).
We are deeply concerned about the lack of community consultation prior to and throughout the trial, the inconsistency in public communications about the trial and the gaps in the legislative frameworks that regulate police use of drones.
We have recommended that police:
- develop binding policies on drone use that protect people’s privacy and prohibit proactive surveillance,
- undertake mandatory privacy impact assessments to identify and mitigate any adverse community impacts,
- embed community consultation throughout the policy development process, and
- provide training to drone operators on surveillance, privacy and human rights obligations.
