News

18 April 2012

Approval for training organisations to conduct security licensing training courses

In July 2011, the NSW Police Force became aware of a possible impact on its security industry training regulatory powers of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011(Cth), which is administered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) www.asqa.gov.au

After considerable liaison between various NSW and Commonwealth agencies, it became clear that the introduction of the Commonwealth Act on 1 July 2011 unintentionally removed the powers of occupational licensing bodies (such as the SLED) to regulate the provision of related training and assessment by RTOs, in those jurisdictions that have referred VET related powers to the Commonwealth. (See, particularly, s.9 of the Commonwealth Act.)

One of the provisions of the NSW security industry legislation rendered inoperable by the NVETR Act is clause 45(1) of the Security Industry Regulation 2007, which empowered the NSW Commissioner of Police to approve RTOs to conduct approved security industry training. The effect of this is that SLED no longer has a legislative basis to consider any application to become an approved RTO from which SLED will accept qualifications for licensing purposes.

The NSW Police Force has been working with ASQA and the NSW Government to resolve the impact of the Commonwealth Act on the NSW Commissioner of Police’s powers through legislative amendments.

Changes will be published via this website. To register an interest in becoming an approved RTO, please email sled@police.nsw.gov.au

08 February 2012

Minor changes proposed by the 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 are likely to be of greatest interest to the security industry:

  • 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.

Copies of the Security Industry Act 1997, incorporating these recent changes, can be downloaded at: www.legislation.nsw.gov.au

05 December 2011

Changes to Security Photo Licences (removal of Date of Birth displayed on licences)

In response to recent concerns raised by the security industry, the Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate (SLED) has determined that the inclusion of a person's date of birth on a Security photo licence card is unnecessary. As licensees re-apply for, vary, amend, or seek replacement licences, they will be issued with a new security photo licence card which no longer displays the date of birth.

Licensees may request that they be immediately issued with a replacement licence card that does not display their date of birth by emailing or writing to the SLED (sled@police.nsw.gov.au or Locked Bag 5099, Parramatta NSW 2124). The SLED will waive the $65 replacement licence fee for all such requests received on this basis, where the request is made at any time up to three months before the expiry date of the licence.

Please note that licensees will be required to again attend a Motor Registry to be photographed and issued with their new licence card. Upon receipt of the replacement card, licensees are required to surrender their previous photo licence to the SLED.

Licensees applying for replacement licences for other reasons, eg. a lost or damaged licence or a change of name, must send a completed "Application for amendment or replacement of an individual licence" (form P645), with the fee of $65, to Locked Bag 5099, Parramatta NSW 2124.

12 November 2010

Mutual Recognition

This week the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) ruled on two mutual recognition applications refused by the Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate (SLED).

The SLED argued that the applicants were not eligible to apply under the provisions of Section 19 of the Mutual Recognition Act, because each had a previous NSW licence that had been revoked "as a result of disciplinary action". In both cases, the individuals' NSW licences were revoked because they failed to comply with the requirement to complete a required training upgrade.

The AAT affirmed the Commissioner's  decision, effectively ruling that a revocation on these grounds does constitute "disciplinary action". This means that applicants who were revoked for not providing upgraded training certificates, and who then obtain an interstate licence, are not eligible for a licence in NSW under mutual recognition principles.

To read the decisions in full, visit the AAT's website www.aat.gov.au

Also, individuals who have obtained a NSW licence under mutual recognition principles should be aware that each time they reapply for that licence they must still hold a current equivalent interstate licence. If the interstate licence has expired, the individual will not be eligible to reapply under mutual recognition and will need to meet NSW licensing requirements (including completing training and assessment with a SLED approved Registered Training Organisation).

 27 September 2010

Acceptance of certificates issued under the PRS03 Asset Security Training Package

The Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate (SLED) has been informed that a large number of people that were enrolled with approved RTOs in the Certificate II in Security Operations (PRS20103) and/or Certificate III in Security Operations (PRS30103) on 30 June 2010 are yet to complete their training and assessment.

Based on this advice, the Director, SLED has determined that certificates (Qualifications or Statements of Attainment) issued by Approved RTOs in relation to qualifications from the PRS03 Asset Security Training Package will be now accepted for security licensing purposes if issued on or before 31 December 2011. The certificates will be accepted subject to the following conditions:

  • The certificate was issued on, or before, 31 December 2011 by an Approved RTO
  • The candidate was enrolled in the qualification from the PRS03 Asset Security Training Package on 30 June 2010 with the RTO that issued the certificate
  • The RTO maintained the qualification or unit of competency on scope in NSW
  • The training and assessment was conducted in accordance with the trainer and assessor kits that were developed to support the delivery requirements of the qualification from the PRS03 training package, and in compliance with the RTO's Conditions of Approval.
  • The certificate is presented to the SLED by the candidate as part of a licence application within 12 months of being issued.

It should be noted that VETAB have advised the SLED that people cannot transfer enrolment between RTOs. People that were enrolled in qualifications from the PRS03 Asset Security Training Package on 30 June 2010 that wish to complete their training and/or assessment with an alternate RTO must now enrol in the CPP07 Property Services Training Package with the new RTO.

30 August 2010

Significant changes to the NSW security industry regulatory model were recently approved by the NSW Government and announced to Master licensees and approved security industry associations last month.

In line with these changes, the Security Industry Registry has been renamed as the Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate (SLED) and is now part of the NSW Police Force State Crime Command. The name change is the first step of an implementation process that will occur progressively as the SLED's resources are expanded. It is expected that the SLED will become fully operational by 30 June 2011.

It should be noted that, until proposed changes to the security industry legislation come into effect (anticipated to be later this year), the requirement for Master licensees to be members of approved security industry associations will continue to apply.

Reform of the NSW Regulatory Model for the Security Industry (PDF)
Master Licensee Letter (PDF)

1 June 2009

NSW Police Force's position in relation to training certificates issued by Roger Training Academy Pty Ltd.

The NSW Police Force's position in relation to training certificates issued by Roger Training Academy Pty Ltd is being finalised. Until finalised, the Registry regrets that the following application types cannot be progressed if supported by training certificates issued by Roger Training Academy Pty Ltd:

  • applications to obtain an initial security licence
  • applications for a new licence by suspended or revoked licensees
  • applications to add a new Provisional or Class 1 subclass to an existing licence
  • applications to upgrade a Provisional licence to a Class 1 licence

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