Centrelink spy numbers drop

Private eyes were hired to spy on about 140 welfare recipients suspected of fraud last financial year, less than half the number of the previous year.

Centrelink used private investigators to spy on about 140 suspected welfare fraudsters last year - but that's well down on the previous year.

What the Department of Human Services calls "optical surveillance" is used as an evidence-gathering tool in cases where there is suspicion of fraud or child support avoidance.

In 2012-13 the department hired private investigators for 143 cases.

Of these, 137 welfare recipients were spied on, down from 322 the previous year.

There were six child support investigations, down from 15 the previous year.