NZSA CEO’s January Report

In this update, NZSA CEO Gary Morrison talks security career pathway website, update to Good Practice Guideline, Crowded Places Strategy Group, privacy law reform, SkillsVR training and more.

Gary Morrison is CEO of the New Zealand Security Association (NZSA). A qualified accountant, Gary originally joined Armourguard Security as a junior accountant and held several roles over two decades prior to appointment as GM for New Zealand and Fiji, after which he established Icon Security Group.

Recent events around the world have highlighted how fortunate we are to be able to conduct business and go about our everyday lives with some normality.

Whilst the planned roll-out of the COVID vaccine is fantastic news, the reality is that the impacts, both in health and economic terms, will be with us for a considerable period and 2021 is likely to be a challenging year for many individuals and businesses.

As always, we will strive to assist our members with timely and relevant guidance and communications and to work with our stakeholders in further lifting standards and professionalism within the security industry.

I also look forward to the reimplementation this year of our Regional Visit programme and the chance to meet our members in their own business. This is a great chance for me to better understand your business and to discuss those issues that are most important to our members. Details of the Regional Visit programme will be made available shortly.

Security career pathway website

The new NZ Security Career Pathways website www.securitycareers. co.nz was launched in December and has attracted a large number of views and favourable comment. The website has been designed to provide a comprehensive and structured introduction to roles within the security industry and the pathway opportunities for those seeking career progression to more senior positions.

The website includes information on the roles, skill set requirements, training requirements and options, indicative pay scales and possible pathways to other sectors or industries. It also includes short videos of employees in their roles, talking about their jobs and what they enjoy most. Further videos will be added as we continue to develop the site.

Whilst the website will provide a great tool for our MSD Skills for Industry programme, it is equally designed as a resource for our members to assist in their recruiting process and to encourage new workers to our industry.

SkillsVR security training platform

Development of the SkillsVR training platform is now complete and waiting for pre-moderation to ensure it meets the outcomes and performance criteria specified within the unit standards. `Once the timing for this has been confirmed we will formalise dates and locations for a national roadshow tour that will coincide with the opening of the new regional MSD service hubs. `In the interim SkillsVR are happy to arrange demonstrations for providers - contact Chris Thomas on chris@ SkillsVR.com or 021 771 173.

Further professional recognition of the security industry?

The NZSA, together with the Training Special Interest Group (SIG) and Skills will be looking at how our industry could benefit if we formed a professional Registration body for individual security operatives.

As you will be aware, the NZSA is a member organisation, and combining this with a Registration body may provide improved professional recognition for individual workers in the industry and enhance the overall standing of the entire industry. `This is only at its early concept stages and initially Skills will be carrying out a feasibility study over the next couple of months. We will keep you posted on how this study progresses, and if it does show promise we will seek your input later in the year.

Update to Good Practice Guideline

The Security Industry Good Practice Guideline was developed and launched by the NZSA last year as an industry resource providing operational and health and safety standards for all New Zealand companies operating in the guarding and security patrols sectors.

With the assistance and input from a working group, including event security providers and event and venue hosts, the NZSA has developed additional sections specific to guidance on Crowd Controller roles and duties and providing security for Events, Venues and other Crowded Places.

The additional sections are aligned with the recently issued Protecting our Crowded Places from Attack: New Zealand’s Strategy programme and the various resource tools.

The amended copy of the Good Practice Guideline, including the new sections, can be downloaded from the NZSA website within the next few weeks.

Crowded Places Strategy Group

Last September the New Zealand Police released a strategy to assist owners and operators increase the safety, protection and resilience of crowded places across New Zealand.

Protecting our Crowded Places from Attack: New Zealand’s Strategy sets out a consistent approach to protecting crowded places throughout New Zealand. It introduces guidelines and tools to help owners and operators of crowded places reduce the threat of attack occurring, and lessen its consequences, using methods that are proportionate to the threat.

The strategy, guidelines and planning tools can be accessed via the Police website.

The NZSA has also been working with the Police to ensure that the resources and capability of the private security industry are recognised and utilised as part of the strategic approach. Whilst membership is yet to be formalised, the NZSA will represent the security industry at the launch of the Crowded Places Advisory Groups and we will be hosting a Provider Forum during February focused on how best the industry can support and promote the Crowded Places strategies.

Independent Chairperson and new Board Member

In a very positive step, the NZSA Board has appointed Gray Paterson as its first independent Chairperson.

Gray is a very experienced and accomplished Board Chair who brings a wealth of relevant skills and experiences to the role and will provide strong governance and direction for the Association in coming years.

We are also pleased to advise that Andy Gollings, CEO of Red Badge, was elected to the NZSA Board at the AGM late last year, replacing Chris Whiting. Existing Board Members Brett Wilson, Matt Stevenson, Lance Reisterer and Wade Coneybeer were also re-elected for a further three year term.

Privacy law reform

New Zealand’s privacy laws changed on 1 December 2020 with the introduction of the Privacy Act 2020. The most significant changes include: • Mandatory notification of a privacy breach - this applies to all

“notifiable privacy breaches” being where the breach has caused, or is likely to cause, an individual serious harm. • Privacy Commissioner can issue public compliance notices - The

Commissioner will have the ability to issue a compliance notice to any agency requiring them to take action, or stop taking a particular action in order to comply with privacy laws. • Disclosure of personal information outside New Zealand - this will put more limits on foreign disclosure by requiring an agency to satisfy one of six requirements before disclosing personal information overseas. • Identifying information cannot be collected unless requested - this prohibits an agency obtaining more identifying information from an individual than is necessary for the purpose for which it is collected.

Office relocation

From 1 February 2021 our office will be located at Level 2, 31 Northside Drive in Westgate. The new office will allow us to re-implement on-site interviewing of MSD candidates and as always, we welcome any member who wishes to call in for a coffee, to recharge their devices or requires brief use of an off-site office space.