Chinese 'spy cams' operating across 17 Defence sites as recent as December

The Department of Defence confirmed it had identified 41 systems across 17 sites in November and December 2022 following media reports the United Kingdom and the United States had banned the Chinese-manufactured devices.

It follows confirmation by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles last week Defence officials were undertaking an audit of all sites to confirm no devices remained.

The department's deputy secretary Celia Perkins told a senate estimates hearing on Wednesday morning a number of systems were still operational months earlier.

"We undertook a refresh of our review of the state through November and December, and we identified 41 systems on 17 sites," she said.

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Defence began removing Chinese-linked surveillance cameras from military bases and buildings as far back as 2018 following security advice.

Ms Perkins confirmed about half of the camera systems had already been decommissioned as part of the work undertaken in 2018.

All physical devices had since been removed, she said.

"You may be aware that the Deputy Prime Minister has directed that Defence undertake physical audit of the state to ensure they have now all been removed," she said.

"But in 2018, we commenced the process of removing systems."

Ms Perkins said the 20-or-so systems that were still in operation as recently as December was a "very low" number across Defence's 30,000 structures.

More to come.