Global articles on espionage, spying, bugs, and other interesting topics.

Council spying on staff

.
Source: Supplied

The Advertiser has been told Port Adelaide-Enfield Council regularly uses the services of Dulwich-based Kingswood Investigations to monitor staff off site, which the council confirmed.

Mayor Gary Johanson defended the use of private investigators, saying only those with a guilty conscience should be concerned.

Figures provided to The Advertiser  by the council show it has spent $70,000 over about four years on private-investigation services, with the budget in some years topping $25,000.

“What we are trying to do is protect the interests of ratepayers. It is not done as a vendetta against someone,” Mr Johanson said.

“The council wouldn’t pay to have people followed for the hell of it, only if there are reasons to consider that something inappropriate may have been happening.”

Mr Johanson said using private detectives was common, and it would be unusual if there were not occasional problems in a staff of 500.

He confirmed that the results of the investigations might be used to terminate staff.

“If somebody was found to be doing the wrong thing, then that would put their position at risk,” he said.

Mr Johanson was unable to reveal details of when investigators had been used.

University of Adelaide civil liberties lecturer Allan Perry said employees should be notified that surveillance while at work was possible.

“It is right that employers inform employees of what type of oversight or surveillance may be undertaken. It is wrong to do things behind people’s backs,” he said.

“I would be astonished if this was widespread; I would suspect that this is not common practice.”

Local Government Association chief executive Wendy Campana said councils did not often hire investigators, but it was acceptable when there was a “reasonable expectation of inappropriate behaviour”.