Sydney, 15 November 2023: The NSW Government’s proposal to trial a new approach to venue security in specific precincts is welcomed but further reform is needed to achieve long term change.
As reported in The Daily Telegraph, the NSW Government has proposed a precinct centric approach that would result in fewer security guards on the door of venues while more security guards would be found in the precinct boundaries. Importantly, security guards would still be found within venues.
Night Time Industries Association CEO Mick Gibb says the changes are an important aspect of addressing public sentiment about the night time experience, but other facets should be addressed to ensure the proposal is successful.
“Improving the experience for a patron arriving at a venue is a welcome first step. It’s encouraging to see the NSW Government take a proactive approach to addressing concerns of patrons and industry alike.
“Changing the patron experience – without compromising public safety – will require well thought out changes to the current status quo.
“An area where there is room for improvement is the training requirements security guards are required to undertake to get a security licence.
“Right now, there’s no requirement to undertake training on working with diverse communities and very little training on working collaboratively with a venue to manage safety. These are important aspects that play a big role in peoples’ experience on a night out.
“When it comes to security guards the most effective approach is when security is an embedded part of how the venue operates, rather than a bolt-on presence standing as gatekeeper on the door.
“If we want to improve the role of security in a night out for the long term we need to address the training requirements for security guards to make sure it’s fit for purpose.
“There’s no cookie cutter approach to a nightlife district and each one will have its own nuances. The location of this trial and how data is recorded will be vital to creating a framework that is malleable to suit the different types of precincts across Greater Sydney.”
