QUEENSLAND’S KEY COUNTER-TERRORISM ROLE

Queensland moved today to tighten regulation of its security industry, as part of its role in national counter-terrorism activities.

Fair Trading Minister Margaret Keech said the Security Providers Amendment Bill 2006 would complement counter-terrorism activities here and in other jurisdictions.

“The Bill implements a call by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) for states and territories to harmonise private security licensing regimes and to complement COAG’s counter-terrorism initiatives,” Mrs Keech told Parliament.

“COAG has recognised that a national security industry has a key role to play in counter-terrorism activities at a time when security is paramount.

“The security industry has the potential to fulfil a role in protecting critical infrastructure and, in some cases, provide a first response to a terrorist incident.

“A nationally consistent approach to licensing, probity and character checks will provide a ‘nowhere to hide’ framework to prevent rogue elements exploiting inconsistencies across state boundaries to enter the industry.”

Mrs Keech said introduction of the Bill fulfilled Queensland’s commitment to COAG to review its security provider licensing regime.

COAG Senior Officials agreed the Australian Police Ministers Council (APMC) national working group should continue working on nationally consistent probity and character checks and the development of a core set of security activities for the purpose of licensing in all jurisdictions.

“This harmonisation seeks to enable greater consistency between the interstate licensing regimes so that a common approach to licensing appropriate and competent operators is taken nationwide,” Mrs Keech said.

“A common approach in licensing security providers will enable security resources to be quickly deployed across jurisdictional boundaries on the basis of need.

“The national working group is currently finalising recommendations which will form the basis for future plans for national harmonisation.”

Mrs Keech said the key objective of the Bill was to tighten regulation of the security industry to ensure only persons of reputable character operate in the industry.

“The regime will:

·expand licensing categories to capture currently unregulated providers of security services;

·strengthen character and probity tests to weed undesirable elements out of the industry;

·require licensees to continue their professional development through ongoing training;

·dramatically increase the penalties for operating without a licence or for engaging unlicensed personnel; and

·implement other important changes to the way security providers operate and are monitored, to ensure protection of the community and property.

Media contacts: David Smith 3225 1005 / 0409 496 534 or Sarah Seckold (OFT) 3119 0064