This submission notes the impact of unlawful surveillance on farm businesses and issues pertaining to the Surveillance Devices Act 1999 which have led to the inability for law enforcement to stop the unlawful activities of animal activists. It discusses what factors need to be considered in reforming the Act in order to better deter trespass on farms. This submission also discusses the importance of protecting the privacy of farmers and their workers in the context of any potential scheme that would seek to impose mandatory government surveillance on private property connected to the purpose of animal welfare laws.
