Australia and New Zealand

There has been no major investigation of pretexting in Australia and it has excited little media attention.

Pretexting or blagging breaches a range of federal and state/territory enactments and common law. As with the UK, however, it is a practice that although illegal is presumably common and that provides information ultimately used by major corporations, government agencies, law firms and other entities. It has been defended by some. John Bracey, president of the Australian Institute of Private Detectives, for example was reported as commenting in October 2006 that

asking a private detective not to use such surveillance methods is like asking a carpenter to put cupboards up without using a hammer, nails, screws or a saw.

We will be discussing the Australian regulatory regime and practice in the near future.

In the interim one point of entry is The Law of Private Security in Australia (Pyrmont: Law Book Co 2005) by Rick Sarre & Tim Prenzler.

::