Nine councils across Sydney have forked out $25,000 in fees to private investigators over the past three years.

The Sunday Telegraph has learned that Ku-ring-gai Council spent $7000 in the past month employing detectives to have sex with prostitutes.

Ku-ring-gai Mayor Nick Ebbeck said the extreme measures were necessary to prove the businesses were illegal.

``We, like many other councils, have made a decision to pro-actively rid our community of these illegal brothels,'' he said.

``We have to employ private investigators to actually go through with the act and come up with reports that will suffice in a court process.

``On numerous occasions over numerous days and times they had to fulfil the act.

``The only difference between us closing down an illegal panel beating shop and a brothel is we must prove they are doing the act and this is where it gets interesting.''

The evidence given by the investigators proved successful in shutting two brothels this month.

The council is now employing private investigators, at a cost of about $3500 a case, to look into at least five more premises. The investigators provide an affidavit and a detailed account of the sexual transaction and occasionally a video recording.

In a graphic report obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, one detective claimed that premises at 100 Pacific Highway, Roseville, was charging $70 for a half hour ``all inclusive full service''.

``Once the sex was over I was told that if I came back next week I would only have to pay $60 for a half hour sex (sic) instead of $70,'' the document said. Concerns over the onus of proof were first raised five years ago. But attempts to change the legislation in NSW Parliament failed after the Labor Government voted against it.

At Willoughby Council, private detectives were paid $1500 for two visits to prostitutes at the one brothel this month.

Willoughby Council environmental services director Greg Woodhams said the council solicitor handled these investigations.

``Over the last couple of weeks we have successfully had a premises vacated on Willoughby Rd,'' Mr Woodhams said.

``The difficulty is gaining evidence to make a case to the Land and Environment Court.

``In each year, it could be potentially tens of thousands of dollars in private investigators and legal costs that councils have to bear,'' he said.

North Sydney Council has paid $4800 in investigators' fees to shut down three illegal brothels, with the third case due in the Land and Environment Court next month.

Sutherland Shire Council paid $800 for a private investigator to investigate an illegal brothel in October last year.

The Community Protection Closure of Illegal Brothels Bill was introduced by former Opposition leader John Brogden and debated in June, 2002, but failed under the Carr Government.

Liberal MP for Goulburn Peta Seaton introduced a new version of the Private Members Bill in 2003 but again it was defeated.

In a third attempt at changing the law, Ms Seaton re-introduced the bill in October 2006 but only progressed to a second reading.

Opposition Leader Peter Debnam told The Sunday Telegraph he would introduce legislation putting the onus of proof back on to brothel operators if he won government in the next election.

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