Counter surveillance is the other side of the work. People come to us because something does not add up. A former partner who knows things they should not know. A competitor who seems to anticipate every move. A vehicle that turns up in the same mirror too often. Sometimes there is a device. Sometimes the explanation is simpler and no less serious.
We provide counter surveillance in Sydney and throughout New South Wales, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.
How we run counter surveillance in Sydney
A sweep covers radio frequency detection, physical inspection of the likely concealment points, and examination of vehicles for tracking devices. Physical inspection matters as much as the electronics, because a great many devices found in real premises are not transmitting when the sweep happens. We also look at the non technical explanations, since shared accounts, retained access and family locator apps account for more apparent surveillance than hidden cameras do.
What New South Wales law means for this work
Investigation work in New South Wales requires a Class 2E licence under the Security Industry Act 1997, administered by NSW Police through the Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate. The old Commercial Agents and Private Inquiry Agents Act 2004 was repealed on 1 July 2022, so a licence issued under that Act is no longer the relevant authority. Ask any operator what they hold and when it was issued.
Section 7 prohibits recording or monitoring a private conversation you are not a party to. There are exceptions where all principal parties consent, or where one principal party consents and the recording is reasonably necessary to protect that party’s lawful interests.
Optical surveillance in New South Wales is governed by section 8 of the Surveillance Devices Act 2007. The offence is not filming as such. It turns on whether the recording involved entry onto premises or a vehicle without consent, or interference with a vehicle or object without consent. Observation from a public vantage point, without trespass or interference, does not engage section 8, and that is the basis on which lawful surveillance is conducted here.
Tracking devices are covered by section 9. Determining the location of a person without consent, or of an object without the consent of the person in lawful possession, is prohibited, subject to an exception at section 9(2)(c) for use for a lawful purpose.
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 NSW 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 NSW 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 written record of what was examined, what was found, and where. If a device is located we advise on preservation rather than removal, because the device itself is evidence and pulling it out of the wall tells whoever placed it that you know.
Where we work in New South Wales
Sydney divides operationally into the CBD and inner south, the inner west, the eastern suburbs, the lower and upper north shore, the northern beaches, the Hills district, Parramatta and the greater west through Blacktown and Penrith, the south west through Liverpool and Macarthur, and the south through St George and the Sutherland Shire. Beyond the metropolitan area we work Newcastle and the Hunter, Wollongong and the Illawarra, the Central Coast, the mid north coast, the northern rivers, New England, the central west and the Riverina.
Where the evidence ends up
- Local Court of New South Wales. Summary crime, apprehended violence orders and civil claims to $100,000.
- District Court of New South Wales. Indictable crime other than murder and treason, civil claims to $1.25 million, and unlimited jurisdiction for motor accident claims.
- Supreme Court of New South Wales. Unlimited civil jurisdiction and the most serious criminal matters.
- NCAT. Tenancy, consumer and commercial disputes, guardianship and occupational discipline.
- Personal Injury Commission. Motor accidents and workers compensation, where most insurer commissioned evidence in this state is tested.
- 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 NSW rules.
Frequently asked questions
What do I do if I think I am being monitored right now?
Do not discuss it in the space you are worried about, and do not start searching, because both alert whoever is responsible. Contact us from a different location. If you are in a family violence situation, please also speak to a specialist support service, as there are safety considerations beyond the technical question.
Can you tell me who placed a device?
Sometimes. Devices carry SIM cards, purchase trails and configuration details that can be traced. It is not guaranteed, and we would rather set that expectation before a sweep than after it.
Do you cover regional New South Wales as well as Sydney?
Yes. Sydney 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 NSW 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 Counter Surveillance in Melbourne, our New South Wales coverage and our Sydney page.