If you or your staff have a paper Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) and Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) certificate issued between January 2001 and December 2006, these certificates will no longer be valid after 30 June 2013.

Holders of these certificates need to complete a new course from an approved training provider and apply for a photo competency card from a participating Australia Post outlet.

The Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) has worked with Australia Post to ensure access to this facility. There are now over 118 Australia Post Offices throughout NSW and in cross border locations that provide this service.

To find out the expiry dates for all paper certificates, as well as details of approved RSA and RCG training providers and how to apply for a photo competency card from Australia Post click here.

Remember - Holders of expired paper certificates risk being fined by NSW Police or inspectors from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing.

Amendments to the Firearms Act 1996 - Commencing 1 November 2012. The Firearms Act 1996 has been amended as a result of the commencement of the Security Industry Amendment Act 2012. The following document details these changes:

• Amendment to Firearms Act 1996 (PDF)

Provisional Licensing Scheme In order to work as an armed security guard you must hold a 1F licence issued under the Security Industry Act 1997 to allow you to carry out prescribed activities as a security guard. You must then make application for a firearms licence to work as an armed security guard. From 1 November 2012, a Provisional Pistol (Business/Employment) Licence will be issued to a person who has never held a Category H (Business/Employment) Licence. The following FACT Sheet provides information on the requirements for obtaining this licence:

• FACT Sheet - Provisional Pistol (Business/Employment) Licence (PDF)

Master Licensees seeking to become an Approved Employer of Provisional Pistol (Business/Employment) Licensees From 1 November 2012, licensed security firms providing uniformed armed security services may apply to become an approved Master Licensee for the purpose of employing Provisional Pistol (Business/Employment) Licence holders. The following document provides the application requirements:

Application Requirements for Master Licensees seeking to become an Approved Employer of Provisional Pistol Licensees

On 1 November 2012, the SLED implemented the Government Licensing System (GLS) as part of our efforts to streamline security licensing processing.

As a result, the SLED Security Licence Public Register has moved and is now provided through the GLS ‘NSW Online Licence Check’ system, which is available at https://www.licence.nsw.gov.au/LicenceCheck/ .

The Public Register allows access to information relating to licences, including the name of the licence holder, the licence classes held, the licence expiry date and the current licence status.

Minister for Women, Pru Goward has announced a trial of a new SOS alarm device for domestic violence.

Media release and fact sheet

SOS alarm device video demonstration

Under amendments to the NSW Security Industry Act, it will be an offence for Master licensees  to subcontract work without the client expressly agreeing in a contract to accept subcontractors to provide the security services and fail to provide the subcontractor details to the client.The same applies to subcontractors who elect to subcontract the work.

SPAAL encourages members to review their contracts to ensure compliance and to contact SPAAL if you need assistance.

Security Industry Amendment Bill 2012

A 12 month trial of online RSA training commenced in July 2012

The online RSA course provides an alternative to traditional classroom training, particularly for students in regional areas and for those who have difficulty attending a classroom.

Flexibility

Online training also provides greater flexibility for training providers and students in terms of how the mandatory training program is delivered.

The online course addresses key RSA issues such as intoxication and underage issues through interviews with industry personnel and regulators, as well as role play. The interactive course allows students to review material, answer questions and visit related websites.

Providers

Training providers given approval to conduct online RSA training must show how they will verify the identity of students, assess the competency of students and minimise the potential for fraudulent activity.

Cutting costs and red tape

The online RSA course helps people with paper RSA certificates make the transition to the RSA photo competency card by providing an online training option. It also provides an opportunity to introduce an online RSA bridging course for people with training qualifications obtained in other Australian jurisdictions to work in NSW. The bridging course option is only available where the training provider is satisfied the person has completed approved RSA training in another Australian jurisdiction over the past five years.

Review

A review of online RSA training will be held in mid 2013 to find out if it provides appropriate skills and knowledge for the industry, and if it needs enhancing. The review will also consider extending online training to other vocational training, including responsible conduct of gambling training for the hotel and registered club sectors.

Find an online RSA course training provider

To find an online RSA training provider which has approval to conduct online RSA courses as part of this trial visit Online RSA Course providers.

The Arts, Communications, Finance  and Property Services (ACFIPS) Industry Training Advisory Board (ITAB) has entered an arrangement with The NSW Department of Education and Communities ,VET in Schools Directorate to roll out to High School students in the Parramatta to Blacktown corridor to commence in 2013.

One of the main Traineeships is in Technical Security and it has been selected for the following

• It has a high priority in the NSW Government strategy to increase the numbers of high school students undertaking school based traineeships
•  technical security employers in 2011 signed up 10 new entrants into full time technical security traineeships the largest number in 13 years because the labour market is shrinking and is less able to supply competent technicians
• NBN roll out as it expands is going to cause more and more pressure on a shrinking labour pool
•  Introducing high school students to Technical Security as a high end user of expanding sophisticated technology will dispel all of the myths and open another career pathway for them.
• Technical security employers, who participate, have the opportunity to take the student through a school based traineeship and then progress them through the fulltime traineeship in less than 12 months. Simply they have the opportunity to select and develop their own Technical Security Technicians

ACFIPS is seeking the support of SPAAL and its members as it engages with the students via its social media network and introduces them to the opportunity of employment and careers in electronic technology via technical security.

Andrew Bryson, ACFIPS  provided members information on the project and how members could participate at the SPAAL NSW Member Breakfast meeting on Wednesday, 9 May 2012.

For more information Security Electronic Technology School-based Traineeships

Minor changes proposed by the Security Licensing Enforcement Directorate (SLED) to the Security Industry Act 1997 were recently identified as suitable for the Statute Law Revision Program and commenced on 6 January 2012.

The changes were primarily designed to clarify some aspects of the defined security activities in section 4 of the Act. The following new definitions of the terms bodyguard and crowd controller :

• Bodyguard means a person who is employed or engaged for the purpose of providing close personal protection to another person.
• Crowd controller means a person who, in respect of any licensed premises (within the meaning of the Liquor Act 2007), public entertainment venue or public or private event or function, as part of his or her regular duties performs for remuneration any of the following functions.
• controlling or monitoring the behaviour of persons,
• screening persons seeking entry,
• removing persons for behavioural or other reasons,
• any other function prescribed by the regulations.

A copy of the Security Industry Act 1997, incorporating these recent changes, can be downloaded from SPAAL 's Security Industry Licensing page.

REVOKED LICENCES – TRAINING UPGRADE

A NSW security licence that was revoked because the licence holder failed to comply with the requirement to complete a required training upgrade is a licence that was “…cancelled or suspended as a result of disciplinary action or proceedings”. (See item 3.3, Application for a Class 1 and/or Class 2 licence under the Mutual Recognition Act 1992) This means that if you have had a licence revoked for failing to complete the training upgrade you are not eligible for a NSW security licence under mutual recognition principles. Any application received from a person who has had a licence revoked on these grounds will be rejected or refused.

REAPPLYING FOR A LICENCE

Please be aware that if you obtain a NSW security licence under mutual recognition principles, each time you reapply for a licence you must still hold an interstate licence that is both current and equivalent at that time. If the interstate licence is not current, or is no longer equivalent, you will not be eligible to reapply under mutual recognition principles and will need to meet NSW licensing requirements (including completing training and assessment with a SLED approved Registered Training Organisation). Security Licensing Enforcement Directorate