These enquiries almost always come from a family member, and they are rarely really about proof. Someone has watched money disappear, or watched a person change, and needs to know whether what they suspect is happening is actually happening before they act on it.
We provide addiction investigations in Brisbane and throughout Queensland, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.
How we run addiction investigations in Brisbane
The work is discreet observation of patterns rather than confrontation. Where money is going, where time is being spent, whether stated activity matches actual activity. We keep the scope to what is needed for the decision you are facing, whether that is a family conversation, a family law matter, a workplace safety issue or a financial protection step.
What Queensland law means for this work
Queensland licenses investigators under the Security Providers Act 1993, administered by the Office of Fair Trading. Private investigator is one of the security provider classes in section 4, and section 9 makes it an offence to act as or even advertise as a security provider without a licence. A separate security firm licence is required to run an investigation business.
Queensland is the only Australian jurisdiction with no surveillance devices act. Optical and video surveillance is not covered by any dedicated statute here. The limits come instead from the Criminal Code, in particular section 227A on observations and recordings in breach of privacy and section 227B on distribution, along with trespass and stalking offences. That absence is not permission, and any operator who treats it that way will hand you evidence a court can still refuse.
None of that is a formality. The rules differ genuinely between Australian jurisdictions, and evidence gathered outside them is frequently inadmissible and can expose the person who gathered it. Working inside the QLD framework is what makes the result usable.
The federal statutory tort of serious invasion of privacy, which commenced on 10 June 2025 under Schedule 2 of the Privacy Act 1988, applies on top of QLD law and contains no exemption for private investigators.
This is general information about how we operate, not legal advice. For advice on your circumstances, speak with your lawyer.
What you receive
You receive a factual record of what was observed, which is what allows a family to move from suspicion to a conversation grounded in something. Where the pattern does not support the concern, we report that with equal clarity, and that outcome is more common than people expect.
Where we work in Queensland
Brisbane divides into the inner city around Fortitude Valley, New Farm, South Brisbane and West End, the north through Chermside and Aspley, the south through Mount Gravatt and Sunnybank, the east through Bulimba, Morningside and Wynnum, and the west through Toowong, Indooroopilly and St Lucia, with Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redlands around it. Beyond the South East we cover the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Central Queensland, Mackay and the Whitsundays, Townsville, and Cairns and the far north.
Where the evidence ends up
- Magistrates Courts of Queensland. Summary crime, committals, domestic violence protection orders and smaller civil claims.
- District Court of Queensland. Mid tier indictable crime and civil claims, with the civil limit currently $750,000.
- Supreme Court of Queensland. Unlimited civil jurisdiction and the most serious crime, with the Court of Appeal above it.
- QCAT. Minor civil and debt disputes to $25,000, tenancy, building disputes, guardianship and review of Office of Fair Trading decisions.
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Family law is federal, so a family matter runs under Commonwealth law even though the conduct investigated is governed by QLD rules.
Frequently asked questions
What if I am wrong?
Then you will know that, and it is a good outcome. A meaningful share of these enquiries end with the concern not being borne out, and being able to set a suspicion down is worth as much as confirming it.
Is this an appropriate use of an investigator?
Where there is a real financial, safety or legal decision resting on it, yes. Where the underlying issue is a relationship or a health concern, an investigator is not the right first call, and we will say so rather than take the work.
Do you cover regional Queensland as well as Brisbane?
Yes. Brisbane work can generally be mobilised faster and at lower cost. Regional work carries travel time and expense, and we will tell you honestly whether the likely result justifies it before you commit.
Talk to us about a QLD matter
Every enquiry starts with a confidential conversation about what you actually need, and sometimes that conversation ends with us saying an investigation is not warranted. Call 1300 792 283 or get in touch for a free consultation and a written quote before any work begins.
See also Addiction Investigations in Melbourne, our Queensland coverage and our Brisbane page.