The objective of this article is to inform and document the contemporary development
of the private security industry in Queensland Australia, a premier holiday destination that
provide entertainment for the larger region. The purpose of this review is to examine the
comtemporary development of mandated licensing regimes regulating the industry, and the
necessary reform agenda. The overall aim is threefold: first, to chart the main outcomes of
the two-wave of reforms since the mid-`90s; second, to examine the effectiveness of changes
in modes of regulation; and third, to identify the criteria that can be considered a best
practice based on Button(2012) and Prenzler and Sarre's(2014) criteria.
The survey of the Queensland regulatory regime has demonstrated that, despite the
federal-guided reforms, there remain key areas where further initiatives remain pending,
markedly case-by-case utilisation of more proactive strategies such as on-site alcohol/drug
testing, psychological evaluations, and checks on close associates; lack of binding training
arrangement for technical services providers; and targeted auditing of licensed premises and
the vicinity of venues by the Office of Fair Trading, a licensing authority. The study has
highlighted the need for more determined responses and active engagements in these priority
areas.
This study of the development of the licensing regimes in Queensland Australia provides
useful insights for other jurisdictions including South Korea on how to better manage
licensing system, including the measures required to assure an adequate level of professional
competence in the industry. It should be noted that implementing a consistency in delivery
mode and assessment in training was the strategic imperative for the Australian authority
to intervene in the industry as part of stimulating police-private partnerships. Of particular
note, competency elements have conventionally been given a low priority in South Korea,
as exemplified through the lack of government-sponsored certificate; this is an area South
Korean policymakers must assume an active role in implementing accredited scheme, via
consulting transnational templates, including Australian qualifications framework.