Kim Beazley says Australian War Memorial 'spy cams' removed 'out of caution, not fear'

Australian War Memorial chair, and former defence minister, Kim Beazley confirmed on Wednesday morning the surveillance cameras were being removed as a precautionary matter and not as a result of anything "untoward".

It comes as The Canberra Times revealed the war memorial was removing 11 Hikvision-branded cameras across two of its sites following fears the Chinese-owned technology could be used as spyware.

Five of the devices are expected to be pulled from the site this month, with the remaining six cameras being replaced by the middle of the year.

"Not because we've had any notice of anything in particular untoward but out of an abundance of caution, not fear," Mr Beazley said, adding "useful" intelligence could be acquired from the memorial site.

"Yes, you could pick up - if you went around the war memorial if it wasn't properly protected - you could pick up useful material."

Liberal senator James Paterson welcomed the national institution's decision, adding the move showed the devices posed security risks for federal agencies who used them.

The Canberra Times sent a list of questions to the Australian War Memorial over the timing of the cameras' removal, the costs and what security advice it received but a spokesperson did not address them.

"The memorial takes its security obligations seriously. The memorial does not comment on specific security matters," a spokesperson said.

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Hikvision-branded devices are also used across a series of other federal departments, including in buildings across the Treasury, Finance and Infrastructure portfolios in Canberra.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed in a recent answered question on notice there are 115 devices across 13 sites but did not say whether those devices would remain in operation.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said 122 devices have been found at 88 Department of Finance sites while 127 Hikvision and Dahua devices were found across 45 Services Australia premises.

There are another five cameras within the Infrastructure Department with one at Airservices Australia and 11 at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, answered questions on notice reveal.

The National Disability Insurance Agency's national office in Geelong is also in the process of removing its network of the Chinese-linked surveillance cameras, as first reported by The Canberra Times earlier this year.

The Hikvision closed circuit television system, with 132 cameras and four recorders, will be pulled and replaced with a vetted system before March, an answered question on notice said.

Senator Paterson told ABC on Wednesday morning the devices were likely being chosen as Chinese firms were offering better value.

"They are closely linked to the Chinese government. And like many other leading Chinese technology firms, they have assistance from the Chinese government, including concessional loans and subsidies, and that does allow them sometimes to outcompete their Western competitors and make them look like a more attractive offering," he told ABC.

"But of course, the discount that you get upfront is not worth the long-term national security risks you expose yourself to."