New security and cost questions around QLDC's CCTV contract

• QLDC claims that Queenstown’s 424 CCTV cameras cost them under $1,000 each - but that figure appears to exclude installation, power, networking, recording and consents. The QLDC’s claimed total camera cost is just under $400,000.

• Comparable council CCTV contracts (Invercargill) have cost up to $33,000 per camera - which would equate to $14 million for QLDC’s 424 cameras - even without ongoing monitoring/maintenance and upgrade costs.

• The cameras purchased by QLDC appear to be a particular low cost overseas model banned, or limited, in the US, the UK and by most NZ Government departments over security fears.

• The QLDC has not responded to Crux official information requests for details on how the various Cougar contracts were procured, how many contracts there are and what they cost.

   

One of the key elements of a Crux official information request to QLDC is the cost of their CCTV network - outsourced to Cougar Security Ltd (main image above) - but the figures supplied are a tiny fraction of what other councils have spent on similar projects.

QLDC, after initially saying in December 2025 that the information “did not exist”, released the CCTV costs to Crux after a complaint was filed with the Ombudsman.

The costs detailed 424 cameras at a total of $392,000 or slightly under $1,000 per camera. These figures appear to ignore the actual cost of installing, configuring and operating the cameras. To be clear - QLDC purchased the cameras and then handed the management of the cameras to Cougar.

But Crux has been contacted by a former Oreti Community Board member who says his board had to spend just under $100,000 for six CCTV cameras in Winton - after years of challenging costs and raising privacy concerns.

Dave Diack also pointed out to Crux that the Invercargill City Council has just spent $2.3 million on their network of 68 cameras - that’s almost $34,000 per camera.

This information raises questions as to why the QLDC needs 424 cameras (other QLDC responses refer to 447 cameras), how they were contracted with Cougar, what the performance of the cameras is and what the actual cost is - including power, installation, consents, networking and monitoring.

Overkill?

Crux visited one central Queenstown intersection today and counted at least 17 CCTV cameras within a 30 metre radius. The cameras seemed to be mainly low cost Hikvision cameras that are for sale online for as low as $450 depending on the exact model. The United States has banned this type of camera over human rights and security concerns. The ban has also been partially adopted by NZ Government departments - also over human rights and security concerns.

• Cougar operated CCTV cameras in Duke Street at Shotover Street Queenstown -  at least 17 CCTV cameras within a 30 metre radius.

• The Hikvision CCTV cameras, similar or the same as installed by Cougar, sell online for a low as $NZ 311.85

So - what does Cougar Security say?

In a nutshell - nothing. We visited their Industrial Place premises this morning and found that both owners - Jamie Adams-Campbell and Ricky Campbell were not there.

• Cougar Security Ltd owners Jamie Adams-Campbell (left) and Ricky Campbell. 50/50 shareholders in Cougar Group Ltd - trading as Cougar Security.

Managing Director Jamie Adams-Campbell did not reply to questions Crux sent to her by email.

The premises looked a little run down without obvious signs of physical security - apart from lots of cameras. Two jetskis were stored at the side of the building - reflecting the Queenstown and Wānaka Harbour Master work also contracted to Cougar by QLDC.

Are the cameras up to the job and what are the privacy protections?

Crux has received a number of complaints over the years regarding privacy breaches and the Cougar CCTV system

In once case a resident managed to access more than 15,000 images within the QLDC/Cougar CCTV system that showed not just cars - but people as well.

• Just one of thousands of images one Queenstown resident managed to access from the QLDC/Cougar system.

In one case a Crux reader has said she was ticketed twice recently in the Rees Street area, (November 2025 and February 2026) even though she had a valid disability permit.

The explanation from QLDC said their CCTV cameras were not capable of spotting the permit - but the problem was not addressed or fixed between the two dates.

What does QLDC say?

Crux asked QLDC’s Interim CEO Michelle Morss to comment on the claims made in this article after our enquiries to the Ombudsman regarding the very low declared cost of the QLDC/Cougar camera system - plus the ongoing refusal to provide details around the all of the various Cougar contracts - went unanswered. The Ombudsman’s investigator handling the case referred us directly to the QLDC CEO.

We approached Ms Morss yesterday morning (March 5, 2026) but she has then referred us to “her team” as she is travelling to a Dunedin local government forum.

It turns out that “the team” is the council’s comms/governance team - the same team that initially said the CCTV cost information “did not exist.” So far the team has threatened Crux with a Media Council complaint over our first article (below) … and failed to produce any other response as of midday today (Friday March 6.)

Here’s the first article.