Edition 27, April-May 2005

Security checks - focus of review

Queensland is considering subjecting applicants to probity and appropriate person checks before they can obtain a security providers licence.

More stringent entry conditions and better training for those who work in the industry are being considered by the government.

A priority is to complete a review of the Security Providers Act. A working group comprising government, industry and union representatives was formed last year to undertake the review.

The Minister for Fair Trading, Mrs Margaret Keech said we needed to update legislation and tighten industry entry conditions as recent events involving security personnel have highlighted that need.

Currently an applicant for a security provider’s licence is assessed to determine whether they are of good character for example whether they have been convicted of an offence.

Specific methods that might be considered to assist in determining an applicant's appropriateness to hold a licence include receiving fingerprints from applicants, undergoing a medical examination and increasing the amount and type of information an applicant must provide.

Mrs Keech said the review was also considering training, trainee licences, compliance and enforcement, training required for the use of guard dogs and ratio of crowd controllers to patrons.

‘It may be that we need to look at some form of dispute resolution to be made part of the training required before a licence is issued,’ she said.

Security providers often are confronted by aggressive people who are fuelled by alcohol and being trained in defusing potentially violent situations would reduce such incidents.

The rise of industry specialisation and diversification and the possible need for more targeted licence categories will also be examined.

For more information on licences for security personnel contact the appropriate authority in your jurisdiction.

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