Published Wednesday, 01 October, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Premier in Western Queensland
The Honourable Kerry Shine
Unlicensed security providers face hefty fines from today
Queensland security advisers, security equipment installers and in-house security officers face prosecution and hefty fines if they fail to meet new industry licensing requirements from today.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said anyone working in the security industry in Queensland needed to hold a licence authorising them to perform security-related functions.
"If you are working in Queensland as a bodyguard, security officer, crowd controller, private investigator or security equipment installer, or if you are giving security advice, you must hold the appropriate class of licence," he said.
"Compliance officers from the Justice Department have travelled throughout the state to educate sectors of the industry being licensed for the first time and to conduct checks on those who have been regulated for some years.
"They have checked almost 200 premises since new licensing and training requirements were introduced on 1 July this year.
"Nearly 700 checks on bodyguards, crowd controllers, security officers and private investigators show that most are doing the right thing, with only 18 providers found trying to beat the system.
"The department is taking the appropriate compliance and enforcement actions against these individuals, including prosecution for not holding a licence."
Mr Shine said the government's changes to security provider licensing were designed to promote community and public safety and the protection of property, ensuring only appropriate and competent people were licensed to operate within the industry.
"Significant penalties are in place for people caught operating without the required licence and repeat offenders can face imprisonment for up to 18 months.
"Operating without a licence attracts fines of up to $75,000 for individuals or $937,500 for businesses.
"Businesses should only engage security personnel who are appropriately licensed and they should ask to see the person's licence up front."
Mr Shine said a small number of new licensing applications were still being processed by the department, but security providers who had lodged their application before 1 October would be considered to have complied with the new licensing requirements.
Consumers can report unlicensed security personnel to 13 13 04.
Information and resources about the new licensing categories, licence process and training requirements for the industry can be found at www.justice.qld.gov.au/security providers.
Media contact Chris Taylor 0419 710 874
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said anyone working in the security industry in Queensland needed to hold a licence authorising them to perform security-related functions.
"If you are working in Queensland as a bodyguard, security officer, crowd controller, private investigator or security equipment installer, or if you are giving security advice, you must hold the appropriate class of licence," he said.
"Compliance officers from the Justice Department have travelled throughout the state to educate sectors of the industry being licensed for the first time and to conduct checks on those who have been regulated for some years.
"They have checked almost 200 premises since new licensing and training requirements were introduced on 1 July this year.
"Nearly 700 checks on bodyguards, crowd controllers, security officers and private investigators show that most are doing the right thing, with only 18 providers found trying to beat the system.
"The department is taking the appropriate compliance and enforcement actions against these individuals, including prosecution for not holding a licence."
Mr Shine said the government's changes to security provider licensing were designed to promote community and public safety and the protection of property, ensuring only appropriate and competent people were licensed to operate within the industry.
"Significant penalties are in place for people caught operating without the required licence and repeat offenders can face imprisonment for up to 18 months.
"Operating without a licence attracts fines of up to $75,000 for individuals or $937,500 for businesses.
"Businesses should only engage security personnel who are appropriately licensed and they should ask to see the person's licence up front."
Mr Shine said a small number of new licensing applications were still being processed by the department, but security providers who had lodged their application before 1 October would be considered to have complied with the new licensing requirements.
Consumers can report unlicensed security personnel to 13 13 04.
Information and resources about the new licensing categories, licence process and training requirements for the industry can be found at www.justice.qld.gov.au/security providers.
Media contact Chris Taylor 0419 710 874