Aussie Police Hire PIs to Snoop Online

The internet communications and websites of anti-war campaigners, environmentalists, animal rights activists and other protest groups are being secretly monitored by state and federal agencies.

A Melbourne private intelligence firm specialising in "open-source intelligence" has been engaged by Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and the federal Attorney-General's Department to monitor and report on the protest movements' use of the internet.

PI Jailed for Posing as Australian Federal Police

A corrupt Sydney private eye was sentenced to a year-long jail term after using the guise of an Australian Federal Police agent to taunt a 77-year-old woman.

The intimidating hoax began when the woman challenged Brett Sutcliffe, 28, for parking in a disabled parking zone outside her North Bondi residence.

Sutcliffe, the then director of a private investigation firm named Spousebusters, recorded the incident from a surveillance device in his parked car. The woman had requested Sutcliffe move so she could unload her shopping but the Spousebuster told her he couldn’t because he was an investigator.

Child Support Spies to Watch Parents

Private investigators will be used by the Child Support Agency (CSA) to spy on parents who are not meeting their child support payments.

The Federal Government says the new measures would help the CSA collect outstanding debts of $1 billion from the current financial year.

Human Services Minister Joe Ludwig said a small proportion of parents was not doing the right thing.

Private Investigator Told to 'Dig Deep' by Anonymous Caller

A private investigator employed by Legal Aid before Andrew Mallard's murder trial was urged by an anonymous caller to dig deep into the case, the CCC has heard.

Former policeman and PI Les Robertson told the inquiry he received a mysterious phone call from someone he believed was working on the Mallard investigation in 1995.