Hi there. In Australia, there are no clear laws that specify whether a police informant is entitled to receive payment for their assistance. This means it is difficult to say whether you are entitled to seek additional compensation.

When claiming reward money, the law says that the information offered by a person assisting in a police investigation must be significant and directly lead to an offender being charged and convicted. The precise criteria for reward payments are unique to each case. Whether you have satisfied the criteria will depend on the nature of the information you provided and the degree to which it helped convict the eight offenders.

The law also says that if a person provides services to another person who benefits from those services, the first person is entitled to be compensated for their efforts. This rule can apply even if no formal contract has been agreed between the parties. You may find that, based on your dealings with the police and the quality of the information you provided, you may have a right to be compensated for your services. This is a complicated area of law and you would need expert advice from a lawyer.

Generally speaking, if you want to lodge a formal complaint with the police, you can do so via the NSW Police Force website (www.police.nsw.gov.au) or by phoning 1800 622 571.

Suggested way forward

It sounds like you may have legal grounds to claim additional compensation. You should speak to a lawyer about your rights and the best way for enforce them. By pressing the “Consult a Lawyer” button, LawAdvisor can help you search for experienced lawyers and obtain fee proposals for their services. Costs for legal advice and representation will vary between providers based on experience and the scope of services.