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 Canberra and throughout the Australian Capital Territory, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.
How we run addiction investigations in Canberra
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 the Australian Capital Territory law means for this work
Investigation work is not among the security activities licensed under section 7 of the ACT’s Security Industry Act 2003. The more useful question in Canberra is what licence an operator holds for work that crosses into New South Wales, because a great deal of it does. Queanbeyan is about fifteen minutes from the CBD and it is New South Wales, where a Class 2E licence under the Security Industry Act 1997 is required.
The ACT has no general statute regulating private optical surveillance outside the workplace. What applies instead is the stalking offence in section 35 of the Crimes Act 1900, which expressly covers surveillance and watching a place where a person lives, works or visits on two or more occasions, and where prosecutors need not prove actual fear. The border is the bigger issue: the moment work crosses into New South Wales, section 8 of the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 applies and it is considerably stricter.
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 ACT 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 ACT 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 the Australian Capital Territory
Canberra has no local government and is organised into districts built around town centres, which is how work here is best planned. Inner North covers Civic, Braddon, Turner, O’Connor, Lyneham, Dickson, Watson, Ainslie and Campbell. Inner South covers Kingston, Barton, Forrest, Griffith, Manuka, Narrabundah, Red Hill, Deakin and Yarralumla. Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden Valley, Weston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Tuggeranong each operate as their own centre. We also work the surrounding New South Wales communities that function as part of the Canberra region, including Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra, Googong, Bungendore, Murrumbateman and Yass.
Where the evidence ends up
- ACT Magistrates Court. Civil claims from $25,000 to $250,000, summary crime, and specialist jurisdictions including the Coroners, Childrens, Industrial and Family Violence Courts. It is also the court that issues covert workplace surveillance authorities.
- ACT Supreme Court. Serious indictable crime, civil work generally above $250,000, and the Court of Appeal.
- ACAT. Civil disputes under $25,000, administrative review, tenancy, guardianship and occupational discipline.
- Note that the ACT has no intermediate court. Where other states have a District or County Court, the ACT has only two tiers.
- 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 ACT 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 the Australian Capital Territory as well as Canberra?
Yes. Canberra 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 ACT 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 the Australian Capital Territory coverage and our Canberra page.