OIA 22 136 Revised Response.pdf

WELLINGTON
The Customhouse, 1 Hinemoa Street, Wellington
PO Box 2218, Wellington 6140
Phone: 04 901 4500  Fax: 04 901 4555  All general enquiries phone: 0800 428 786
Email: [email address]  Website: www.customs.govt.nz

20 March 2023

   Ref: OIA 22-136

Mason Helm

By email: [FYI request #20082 email]

Tēnā koe Mason

Revised  response  to  your  request  for  information  under  the  Official  Information  Act
1982

Thank  you  for  your  email  dated  30  July  2022  to  the  New  Zealand  Customs  Service
(Customs)  via  the  FYI  website,  requesting  the  following  information  under  the  Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“1. How many ANPR cameras does Customs use, monitor, or otherwise have access
to? (Including third party access).
2.  What  Automatic  Number  Plate  Recognition  (ANPR)  databases  does  Customs
have access to?
3.  Does  Customs  have  any  contracts  or  integration  with  Securogroup,  SaferCities,
Auror, or vGRID?
4.  What  software,  database,  or  other  method  of  access  is  used  to  remotely  view
video  feeds  from  third  parties  such  as  Howick  Village  Association.  See
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2022/05/HW_20220516_AGN_1030
AT.htm”

On 21 February  2023, the Office of the  Ombudsman  notified  Customs of  your complaint  in
relation  to  Customs’  decision  to  withhold  information  in  scope  of  questions  one  to  three  of
your request under section 6(c) of the Act, where making available the information would be
likely  to  prejudice  the  maintenance  of  the  law,  including  the  prevention,  investigation,  and
detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial.

Customs has reconsidered your request. Please find below revised responses to questions
one to three of your request.

Question  one  –  How  many  ANPR  cameras  does  Customs  use,  monitor,  or  otherwise
have access to? (Including third party access)

I can advise that Customs does not have any of its own ANPR cameras.

In  relation  to  the  part  of  your  request  for  information  about  Customs’  use,  monitor  and
access to ANPR cameras, Customs is refusing this part of your request under section 18(g)
of  the  Act,  as  Customs  does  not  hold  up-to-date  information  in  relation  to  the  third  party
ANPR-related services that it uses (currently via Auror Limited on a trial basis), and has no
grounds for believing that the information is either held by another department, or connected

more  closely  with  the  functions  of  another  department.  You  may  wish  to  contact  Auror
Limited directly to discuss the number of ANPR cameras in their networks.

For  completeness,  I  can  advise  that  Customs  consulted  with  Auror  Limited,  who  provided
Customs  with  an  estimate  number  of  ANPR  cameras  accessible  to  Customs  as  at  March
2021. We have been advised by Auror Limited that this number is no longer  accurate, and
that Customs should treat the estimate number as commercially sensitive information. Auror
Limited is operating in a competitive market for providing ANPR services. As such, Customs
is  withholding  the  estimate  number  of  ANPR  cameras  under  s9(2)(b)(ii)  OIA,  as  Customs
has  reasonable  grounds  to  believe  that  releasing  this  information  would  be  likely  to
unreasonably  prejudice  the  supplier,  including  providing  a  benchmark  that  Auror  Limited’s
competitors could use to ascertain Auror Limited’s market share and penetration.

We consider the public interest arguments in favour of making this  information available do
not outweigh the necessity to withhold this information.

Question  two  –  What  Automatic  Number  Plate  Recognition  (ANPR)  databases  does
Customs have access to?

Customs has access to the ANPR databases provided by Auror Limited on a trial basis.

Question  three  –  Does  Customs  have  any  contracts  or  integration  with  Securogroup,
SaferCities, Auror, or vGRID?

As  mentioned  in  our  revised  response  to  question  one,  Customs  has  a  trial  agreement  for
ANPR  services  with  Auror  Limited.  There  is  no  Customs  integration  with  any  of  the  listed
services.

You have the right, by way of complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman under section 28(3)
of the Act, to seek an investigation and review of the decision conveyed in this letter.

In the first instance, if you have any queries in relation to this response, please contact the
Correspondence, Reviews and Ministerial Servicing team at: [email address].

Please note that Customs proactively releases responses to Official Information Act requests
on our website. As such, we may publish this response on our website after we have sent it
to you. Your name and contact details will be removed.

Nāku noa, nā

Debbie Kay
Correspondence, Reviews and Ministerial Servicing Manager
P2 OF 2