AUSTRAILIA - Bikie gxxgs infiltrate security sector

OFF THE WIRE
Bikie gxxgs have infiltrated Australia's pub and club security firms, NSW Police Minister Mike Gallacher says.
The state government on Thursday announced a major industry overhaul, handing new regulatory powers to police and creating a new advisory council to stamp out rogue security operators.
Mr Gallacher said there was clear evidence that bikie gxxgs had gained insider access to pub and club operations across the country.
"That is unacceptable to the public, it is unacceptable to the government and of course it will be unacceptable to the police," he told reporters on Thursday.
"Now police will actually have the ability, through creation of this new body and by taking control of the industry, to do something concrete about it."
Under the reforms, police will be able to directly target shonky security operators - and help legitimate ones.
The decision follows years of criticism from members of the public about heavy-handed guards and concerns about criminals infiltrating the sector.
Police will be able to covertly audit security guards as well as conduct high-visibility patrols.
A new body - the Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate (SLED) Advisory Council - will also advise on how to improve industry compliance and competence, and address industry barriers.
The body will comprise representatives from the State Crime Command, Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate (SLED), Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and industry representatives.
The government is also restructuring payments for security businesses, including a new sub-class of master licensee for those with fewer than 50 employees.
Mr Gallacher also confirmed plans to formalise rules allowing licensed handgun owners to work as volunteer security personnel to guard religious sites and festivities.
He said reforms in 2008 prevented licensed gun owners acting as volunteer security personnel but the new rules would allow religious organisations to apply for permission to employ licensed gun owners on a casual basis.
NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson questioned whether police were properly resourced to regulate the security industry.
"This looks like a great idea but if our police aren't properly resourced ... then this is just tokenistic rhetoric from a minister," Mr Robertson told reporters in Sydney.
"Our police numbers are down and we don't have enough police to do day-to-day policing, let alone deal with gun crime, and on top of that we're going to load up an understaffed police force with another function.
"It's not going to work if it is not properly resourced."
Stephen Blanks of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties said there were concerns about the new police powers.
"Police will be able, in an unsupervised and unaccountable way, to enter premises," he told Fairfax Radio.
"This is the kind of provision which leads inevitably to corruption in the police force."
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