ANPR Surveillance (3) - Public's access to data within AT's indefinite database of license plate locations

M B made this Official Information request to Auckland Transport

The request was successful.

From: M B

Dear Auckland Transport,

First, I note that you have not addressed my follow up request regarding your retention of location data on "vehicle movements of every vehicle in the Auckland" indefinitely (forever). Please resolve this asap: https://fyi.org.nz/request/21279-anpr-su....

PREVIOUS REQUESTS:
On the 15th of July 2022 I made a privacy act request for my data held indefinitely (forever) by AT the AT collects on the locations of vehicles from 179 ANPR cameras in their district. AT refused my request stating that the data does not exist which was simply not true.

I filed a follow up LGOIMA (not published on FYI), CAS-658036-D0R2K8 CRM:014790003414, I requested my data stored in your ANPR database. You refused the request and stated the following:

"AT only retains anonymised ANPR data indefinitely, this means that no individual, person or otherwise is identifiable. [I note that this is a false and intentional misrepresentation. The data is merely encrypted rather than anonymised.] The ANPR data is made available only to police either pursuant to warrant or under the LGOIMA.

Your request is refused under section 17(f) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) which applies when the information cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.

This is because the requested information is in the form of raw data-mixed with the vehicle movements of every vehicle in the Auckland area over the course of the months in question. A computer vision specialist needs to be assigned to spend some time searching for the plate number in the database which has an impact on Auckland Transport’s other operations."

However, In my recent FYI response (https://fyi.org.nz/request/20718/respons...) AT confirmed that the process was excruciatingly simple: "[login to the] AT Service Account to access the Key Vault", use that key to convert the license plate into the hash string used in the database, then conduct a search using the 'search' function in the top right corner of the page. AKA the data I requested is stored in a central database that is easily searchable by anyone with access to the AT Service Account Key Vault.....

CURRENT REQUEST:

- How many "computer vision specialist's" does AT employ or contract to?
.
- What is the role conducted by each of those individuals?
.
- Please provide all documentation, guides, and manuals held by AT that staff use to respond to LGOIMA requests. Including specifically, anywhere that the Police are afforded special or greater authority over natural persons when deciding whether to refuse or grant an OIA / LGOMIA.
.
- Please provide all documentation, guidelines, manuals, or general processes used when accessing the AT's license plate database.
.
- Please provide the number of requests made by the Police to access the license plate database citing the LGOMIA or the privacy act as their authority.
.
- Please provide all information, documentation, and reports AT has in relation to privacy concerns, access concerns (breaches etc), future scope of the database, and general discussion on the database.

Alternative to this request, I am happy for you to reconsider my initial requests under wither the privacy act or LGOIMA and provide the requested data.

Yours faithfully,
Mason.

Link to this

From: AT Official Information (AT)
Auckland Transport


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Kia ora Mason,

Auckland Transport (AT) acknowledges receipt of your request for official
information dated the 22^nd of January 2023.

We hope to respond to your request as soon as possible, but not later than
the 21^st of February 2023 which is 20 working days after the day your
request was received. If we aren’t able to respond to your request by
then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

Your case is being managed by Ashleigh, who is one of our LGOIMA Business
partners. If you have any further queries, you can contact the team on
(09) 355 3553 during business hours, quoting Local Government Official
Information request number CAS-677069-Q7Z5Y3.

Ngâ mihi,

Peter | Customer Care Coordinator
Customer Care| Case Management
Level 5, 20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
P 09 355 3553
[1]www.at.govt.nz

From: M B <[FOI #21604 email]>;
Received: Sun Jan 22 2023 09:05:27 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
To: [email address] <at[Auckland Transport request email]>;
LGOIMA <at[Auckland Transport request email]>;
Subject: Official Information request - ANPR Surveillance (3) - Public's
access to data within AT's indefinite database of license plate locations

Dear Auckland Transport,

First, I note that you have not addressed my follow up request regarding your retention of location data on "vehicle movements of every vehicle in the Auckland" indefinitely (forever). Please resolve this asap: [2]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi.....

PREVIOUS REQUESTS:
On the 15th of July 2022 I made a privacy act request for my data held indefinitely (forever) by AT the AT collects on the locations of vehicles from 179 ANPR cameras in their district. AT refused my request stating that the data does not exist which was simply not true.

I filed a follow up LGOIMA (not published on FYI), CAS-658036-D0R2K8 CRM:014790003414, I requested my data stored in your ANPR database. You refused the request and stated the following:

"AT only retains anonymised ANPR data indefinitely, this means that no individual, person or otherwise is identifiable. [I note that this is a false and intentional misrepresentation. The data is merely encrypted rather than anonymised.] The ANPR data is made available only to police either pursuant to warrant or under the LGOIMA.

Your request is refused under section 17(f) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) which applies when the information cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.

This is because the requested information is in the form of raw data-mixed with the vehicle movements of every vehicle in the Auckland area over the course of the months in question. A computer vision specialist needs to be assigned to spend some time searching for the plate number in the database which has an impact on Auckland Transport’s other operations."

However, In my recent FYI response ([3]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....) AT confirmed that the process was excruciatingly simple: "[login to the] AT Service Account to access the Key Vault", use that key to convert the license plate into the hash string used in the database, then conduct a search using the 'search' function in the top right corner of the page. AKA the data I requested is stored in a central database that is easily searchable by anyone with access to the AT Service Account Key Vault.....

CURRENT REQUEST:

- How many "computer vision specialist's" does AT employ or contract to?
.
- What is the role conducted by each of those individuals?
.
- Please provide all documentation, guides, and manuals held by AT that staff use to respond to LGOIMA requests. Including specifically, anywhere that the Police are afforded special or greater authority over natural persons when deciding whether to refuse or grant an OIA / LGOMIA.
.
- Please provide all documentation, guidelines, manuals, or general processes used when accessing the AT's license plate database.
.
- Please provide the number of requests made by the Police to access the license plate database citing the LGOMIA or the privacy act as their authority.
.
- Please provide all information, documentation, and reports AT has in relation to privacy concerns, access concerns (breaches etc), future scope of the database, and general discussion on the database.

Alternative to this request, I am happy for you to reconsider my initial requests under wither the privacy act or LGOIMA and provide the requested data.

Yours faithfully,
Mason.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21604 email]

Is [Auckland Transport request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Auckland Transport? If so, please contact us using this form:
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If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

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We all have an important part to play in helping to reduce the spread of
COVID-19 in our communities. [6]Find the latest information and advice
from Auckland Transport. For the latest news from the Ministry of Health
go to the [7]Unite Against Covid-19 website.

Important notice: The contents of this email and any attachments may be
confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you have received this
email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies
of the message and attachments; any use, disclosure or copying of this
message or attachments is prohibited. Any views expressed in this email
may be those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the
views of Auckland Transport.

References

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1. http://www.at.govt.nz/
2. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
3. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
4. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
5. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
6. https://at.govt.nz/COVID-19
7. https://covid19.govt.nz/

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From: AT Official Information (AT)
Auckland Transport

Kia ora Jacob, 
 
I’m the LGOIMA Business Partner who’s looking into your official
information request.
My name is Ashleigh and I’m a LGOIMA Business Partner at Auckland
Transport.
 
I’m responsible for looking into the official information request you made
on 22 January 2023.
 
We are granting your request, which means we will provide you with the
information we hold. We aim to have this information ready by 21 February
2023, or sooner. 
 
Please note that we are currently expecting delays as Auckland Transport
are working with emergency services in response to Cyclone Gabrielle. I
will keep you updated on the progress of this request. 
 
If you need to provide us with more information relevant to your request
or you have any questions, simply reply to this email leaving the subject
line as it is. We’ll make sure this information is added to your case.
 
Ngā mihi
Ashleigh
LGOIMA Business Partner 
 
Auckland Transport
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
[1]www.at.govt.nz

We all have an important part to play in helping to reduce the spread of
COVID-19 in our communities. [2]Find the latest information and advice
from Auckland Transport. For the latest news from the Ministry of Health
go to the [3]Unite Against Covid-19 website.

Important notice: The contents of this email and any attachments may be
confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you have received this
email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies
of the message and attachments; any use, disclosure or copying of this
message or attachments is prohibited. Any views expressed in this email
may be those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the
views of Auckland Transport.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.at.govt.nz/
2. https://at.govt.nz/COVID-19
3. https://covid19.govt.nz/

Link to this

From: AT Official Information (AT)
Auckland Transport

Apologies Mason, I am unsure why I wrote Jacob in my earlier email.
 
Thanks
Ashleigh
 
 
------------------- Original Message -------------------
From: LGOIMA <[email address]>;
Received: Tue Feb 14 2023 14:30:46 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
To: M B <[FOI #21604 email]>;
Subject: We are granting your request (Case CAS-677069-Q7Z5Y3)
CRM:018140000282

Kia ora Jacob, 
 
I’m the LGOIMA Business Partner who’s looking into your official
information request.
My name is Ashleigh and I’m a LGOIMA Business Partner at Auckland
Transport.
 
I’m responsible for looking into the official information request you made
on 22 January 2023.
 
We are granting your request, which means we will provide you with the
information we hold. We aim to have this information ready by 21 February
2023, or sooner. 
 
Please note that we are currently expecting delays as Auckland Transport
are working with emergency services in response to Cyclone Gabrielle. I
will keep you updated on the progress of this request. 
 
If you need to provide us with more information relevant to your request
or you have any questions, simply reply to this email leaving the subject
line as it is. We’ll make sure this information is added to your case.
 
Ngā mihi
Ashleigh
LGOIMA Business Partner 
 
Auckland Transport
20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010
[1]www.at.govt.nz

Important notice: The contents of this email and any attachments may be
confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you have received this
email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies
of the message and attachments; any use, disclosure or copying of this
message or attachments is prohibited. Any views expressed in this email
may be those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the
views of Auckland Transport.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.at.govt.nz/

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: AT Official Information (AT)
Auckland Transport


Attachment Response CAS 677069 Q7Z5Y3 Mason.pdf
121K Download View as HTML

Attachment Auckland Transport CAS 677069 Q7Z5Y3 ANPR Decryption Process.pdf
236K Download View as HTML

Attachment Auckland Transport CAS 677069 Q7Z5Y3 CCTV Guidelines.pdf
774K Download View as HTML

Attachment Auckland Transport CAS 677069 Q7Z5Y3 Computer Vision Specialist JD.pdf
1.3M Download View as HTML


Kia ora M 

 

I’ve attached the official information you asked for

On 22 January 2023, you asked for official information in relation to AT
licence plate database and AT computer vision specialists.

 

I have attached a response from Roger Jones - Executive General Manager
Business Technology

I have also attached the following supporting documents

* Auckland Transport - CAS-677069-Q7Z5Y3 - Computer Vision Specialist JD
* Auckland Transport - CAS-677069-Q7Z5Y3 - ANPR Decryption Process
* Auckland Transport - CAS-677069-Q7Z5Y3 - CCTV Guidelines
 

Should you believe that we have not dealt with your request appropriately,
you are able to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman in
accordance with section 27(3) of the LGOIMA Act and seek an investigation
and review in regard to this matter.

You can contact the Ombudsman at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.

 

If you have any further queries, simply reply to this email leaving the
subject line as it is. We’ll make sure this information is added to your
case.

 

 

 

Ngā mihi

Ashleigh 

LGOIMA Business Partner 

 

 

Auckland Transport

20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland 1010

[2]www.at.govt.nz

 

 

We all have an important part to play in helping to reduce the spread of
COVID-19 in our communities. [3]Find the latest information and advice
from Auckland Transport. For the latest news from the Ministry of Health
go to the [4]Unite Against Covid-19 website.

Important notice: The contents of this email and any attachments may be
confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you have received this
email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies
of the message and attachments; any use, disclosure or copying of this
message or attachments is prohibited. Any views expressed in this email
may be those of the individual sender and may not necessarily reflect the
views of Auckland Transport.

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
2. file:///tmp/www.at.govt.nz
3. https://at.govt.nz/COVID-19
4. https://covid19.govt.nz/

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M B left an annotation ()

The Auckland Transport ANPR database currently has 622 million hits as of January 2023: OIA response CAS-677040-C1R9J9 (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/...)

All 'non-hit' data of collected without any investigative purpose, destined to be retained forever. Concerning.

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M B left an annotation ()

UPDATE on the initial context provided in this request:

Auckland Transport (AT) has recently reversed their previous stance that searching their database for historic location data requires substantial research or collation: in CAS-946490-Z8V5P5 (13 August 2024), AT stated that a search only takes "seconds."

Following this acknowledgment, a complaint was filed with the Ombudsman. AT has now reconsidered and approved an earlier LGIMOA request for ANPR data that was previously refused on the grounds of substantial research (CAS-658036-D0R2K8 / Ombudsman Case 012916).

Summary: Auckland Transport is now providing location data collected via ANPR to anyone who requests it, regardless of their relationship to the data subject.

Link to this

Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Auckland Transport only: