Softly-softly on security industry
Thursday, 2nd August 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
SOFTLY-SOFTLY ON SECURITY INDUSTRY
“The raft of changes that have been heralded by the Minister for Police, David Campbell today as being tough on the security industry have neglected one fundamental point – the drug and alcohol testing of crowd controllers,” said Rev Hon Dr Gordon Moyes AC MLC.
“Circumstantial evidence here and overseas suggests that violence in pubs and clubs is pre-empted by crowd controllers, such as bouncers. In light of this, I introduced the Security Industry Amendment (Patron Protection) Bill in 2005 that would require random testing of crowd controllers for drug and alcohol consumption. This bill would have lifted the standard of conduct across the industry.”
“Instead, the Government is to introduce regulations that require employers to prepare and implement a “fitness for work” policy that covers the use of alcohol and other drugs by employees. This is a softly-softly approach that will not serve to clean up the industry.”
“NSW should be taking the lead in tackling the issue of drug and alcohol consumption amongst crowd controllers. With around 44,000 security officers and crowd controllers in the industry, the tougher measures that I have lobbied for should have been implemented.”
“Both Western Australia and South Australia have passed sound legislation which has mitigated the consumption of drug and alcohol among bouncers.”
Western Australia’s Government has adopted a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy to crowd controller violence, and in 1996 enacted random drug testing of crowd controllers in the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act 1996. Since introduction strike rates on random tests have dropped dramatically, suggesting that those taking drugs have either left the industry, stopped using illegal substances, or moved interstate.
South Australia passed the Statutes Amendment (Liquor, Gambling and Security Industries) Act 2005. In addition to random drug and alcohol testing of crowd controllers it also introduced mandatory psychological assessments of licensees, and refresher training courses.
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