Silence deafening in All Blacks bugging investigation

New Zealand All Blacks hotel the Intercontinental at Double Bay, where a bug was found in the All Blacks team meeting room. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Australian police are still investigating the All Blacks bugging scandal two months on from the spying scandal which shocked the rugby world.

The Weekend Herald has sought weekly updates from New South Wales police since breaking the news about the bugging scandal in mid-August.

However, every week the response has been that the investigation continues and there is no further update.

Inquiries have also been made with New Zealand Rugby, who say they have received no further details either.

New Zealand Police have been referring all inquiries about the incident to the Australian authorities and this week said: "this still stands, it's all over to them."

On August 27, Australian police confirmed they were scouring CCTV footage in the hunt to identify who planted a listening device in the All Blacks' hotel meeting room at the Intercontinental hotel in Double Bay.

It's understood from a well-placed Australian source that the sophisticated listening device, found concealed in a chair, only had a battery life of around three days - and was still operational when discovered by All Blacks security personnel.

The twist suggests the All Blacks were the specific target of the bug and its presence in their hotel meeting room was not from a previous deployment.

At the time, New South Wales police did not address direct questioning about the bug being operational either, but did confirm detectives are still digging for the facts, have taken possession of CCTV footage and are prepared to lay charges.

When asked if police had recovered CCTV from the hotel, a NSW police spokeswoman said: "CCTV has been obtained as part of the investigation and is being reviewed."

"Once the investigation has been completed, appropriate outcomes will be determined, and if appropriate, relevant charges will be laid.

"NSW Police is conducting an ongoing investigation which involves forensic examination and further follow-up in relation to the matter."