Queensland’s law enforcement agencies have spent more than $14.7 million in phone tapping since being granted the power in 2009.

Police minister Jack Dempsey said all the telecommunication interceptions undertaken by the Queensland Police Service were conducted “pursuant to the Telecommunications Act” after Palmer United Party Queensland leader, Alex Douglas, questioned whether they had been used to intercept politicians communications.

In a question on notice, Dr Douglas said $6.1 million had been spent on telecommunications interception during the 2011-12 financial year. That time frame would not include any of the stepped up investigations into the state’s criminal motorcycle gangs, which came into effect in October 2013.

The federal Attorney-General’s report on the nation’s investigators use of telecommunication interceptions for the 2011-12 financial year revealed that in 2009/10, Queensland spent more than $3.3 million in phone and internet device tapping, which included start up costs for both the (then) CMC and Queensland police.

In the next financial year, that figure increased to more than $5.2 million. Following that, just over $6.1 million was spent. Most of that cost is in salaries.