NSW govt denies secret cameras November 6, 2011

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/nsw-govt-denies-secret-cameras-20111106-1n1px.html

NSW govt denies secret cameras
November 6, 2011

AAP

NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay has rejected claims the government acted secretly when it installed speed cameras across the state.

Thirty-two speed cameras were secretly switched on to catch out thousands of drivers, raising $1.2 million in revenue for the state government, News Limited reported on Sunday.

The opposition on Sunday called on Mr Gay to come clean on the installation of the cameras, saying the government had been caught out saying one thing and doing another.

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"What is the point of removing 38 cameras and then secretly planting 32 back in? Motorists are entitled to feel completely betrayed and confused," opposition roads spokesman Robert Furolo said.

"This makes an absolute mockery of the government's promise to be transparent with drivers."

Last July, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) was ordered to immediately shut down 38 of the state's 141 speed cameras after Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat released a report saying they had no road safety benefit.

However, Mr Gay said the News Limited report was "totally incorrect", insisting the government had been "open and transparent" on the issue of safety and speed cameras.

"We said when the safety cameras were being installed, during the audit of speed cameras, that they would remain in warning phase for speeding offences and nothing has changed," Mr Gay said.

"We were open and up front when we said the cameras would still detect red-light offences or anyone speeding more than 45 kilometres over the limit."