Noise pollution monitors set up to track noise pollution from coal mining in the Hunter Valley have been found to be listening in on citizens' private conversations, intruding on privacy rights. 

"President of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties Stephen Blanks said the use of a monitor to record a private conversation was not only a breach of the NSW surveillance act but the Commonwealth privacy act. Mr Blanks said he believed the recent incident was worthy of investigation by the federal privacy commissioner."

Source: The Newcastle Herald