AS/NZS 4421 Guards and Patrols
The draft Standard will be available for public comment on the SAIGlobal website from 15th July to 16th Sept 2010. SPAAL Members can also forward comments to SPAAL as we hold a seat on the Standards Australia Committee that developed the Standard. The draft Standard has been placed in the Members Area. Please forward your comments to mark@spaal.asn.au
New legislation to fight against Phoenix tax fraud
The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, has highlighted a significant strengthening of laws to fight fraudulent 'phoenix' activity which been passed by Parliament.
Phoenix activity involves the deliberate liquidation of a company to avoid paying liabilities - including workers' wages and superannuation, debts owed to other business creditors and also taxes. 
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Minimum Wage Review 2009-10 - New Award Wage Rates from 1 July 2010
Determinations varying modern awards in relation to the Annual Wage Review 2009-10 have been published.
The new wage rates apply from 1 July 2010 and can be accessed at the links below.
Security Services Industry Award 2010
Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2010
Transport (Cash in Transit) Award 2010
Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2010
Australian Quality Training Framework - Essential Conditions & Registration Standards
The updated Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Essential Conditions and Standards for Registration are now available. The Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) endorsed a revised set of AQTF Essential Conditions and Standards for Registration on 9 June 2010. The implementation date of the revised arrangements is 1 July 2010.
There are two sets of essential conditions and standards:
AQTF Essential Conditions and Standards for Initial Registration
AQTF Essential Conditions and Standards for Continuing Registration
Transition arrangements have been provided in respect to some components of Conditions of Registration 5 and 6 where required by an individual applicant or registered training organisation (RTO). Users' guides to the AQTF conditions and standards and other supporting national guidelines, including strengthened guidelines for risk management and managing non-compliance, will be submitted for endorsement and published in the next couple of weeks on www.training.com.au
RTOs should have received, or will shortly receive, information and updates from their relevant registering body regarding the new arrangements. RTOs seeking further information around the updated AQTF should contact their relevant registering body.
SPAAL submission to vary the Transport (Cash in Transit) Award 2010
An application has been made by the Security Providers Association of Australia Limited (SPAAL) to Fair Work Australia for the variation of the Transport (Cash in Transit) Award 2010 under section 158 of the Fair Work Act 2009 to include non armoured vehicle operators. Read More
Fair Work Australia - Wage Comparison - Security Industry Services Award 2010
Staff of Fair Work Australia have compared wages and allowances in a range of Division 2B State awards against provisions in modern awards and notional agreements preserving state awards (NAPSAs). The comparative schedules have been prepared in Microsoft Excel format. Security Services Industry Award 2010
Any inquiries or feedback regarding the comparative schedules should be forwarded by email to amod@fwa.gov.au.
Independent Contractors Handbook
The Federal Government has produced a handbook for independent contractors. The book is for independent contractors and their hirers. It is a reference guide for everything you need to know about independent contracting including tax, super, insurance, workers compensation, negotiating contracts and much more. Read More
ATO Security Industry Performance Benchmarks
Performance benchmarks have been developed from income tax and business activity statements lodged for the 2007–08 income year. Performance benchmarks for fire and security alarm installation services. Read More
Fair Work Ombudsman Security Industry Campaign Report
The Fair Work Ombudsman has completed its report on the national security industry. In the campaign’s education phase, Fair Work engaged with major industry stakeholders, presented seminars, and distributed educational material. In an industry known for long working hours, staff turnover and a high proportion of casual employees, Fair Work found 51% of employers complying with the provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009. In the compliance phase, Fair Work have finalised 256 audits, and recovered $452,824.00 for more than 652 workers. The campaign’s key finding was employers’ widespread use of flat rates of pay in the belief that such arrangements would compensate for allowances, penalty and loading provisions. Fair Work will continue education and compliance activities in the security industry, and plan to determine the prevalence of phoenixing practices and sham contracting arrangements. Read Full Report
ATO expands cash economy data matching program
In its continuing effort to detect businesses operating in the cash economy, especially in high risk industries, the ATO has recently expanded its data matching program on two fronts. The program now includes data from banks that identify credit card and EFTPOS sales made by Australian businesses, and data from the sale of plasterboard in NSW to plasterboard installers. Read More
National Regulator for Registered Training Providers
The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today welcomed a landmark decision by the majority of State and Territory Education Ministers to support the formation of a new, independent national regulator for the vocational education and training sector. The regulator will be responsible for undertaking the registration and audit of registered training providers across the country. Read Full Press Release
Fair Work for Small Business
The Council of Small Business of Australia, Workforce Guardian and Telstra Business present Fair Work for Small Business - an online one-stop-shop for education and information for small businesses on the Fair Work Act. Fair Work for Small Business
Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) - National regulation of the security industry
At the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) meeting held on 3 July 2008, a decision was made for all jurisdictions to adopt a nationally-consistent approach to the regulation of the private security industry. The focus will initially be on the guarding sector of the industry in order to improve the probity, competence and skills of the security personnel and the mobility of security industry licences across jurisdictions. This is phase one of three phases of the procedure agreed on at the COAG meeting. Important aspects of phase one of the proposals are:
The increase in licensable classes to seven, which will include training.
Increased probity checks with mandatory palm and fingerprinting and daily local criminal history checks for the licence’s duration. There will be new eligibility restrictions and additional measures made available to enable licensing authorities to have regard to criminal, intelligence and identification information.
- New applicants will be required to complete a pre-licensing course, and provisional, probational or conditional licences will be introduced for a period of 12 months.
- There will be consultations between representative organisations to improve the quality and consistency of materials used for training and the assessment of the security industry, and
- Temporary individual, and if needed corporate permits and licences will be introduced to improve the mobility of security personnel and business across all jurisdictions.
It is intended that phase one of the proposals will come into force on 1 January 2010 in all jurisdictions.
Stage 2 (known as the technical sector) of the agreement concerns proposals for national minimum regulatory standards for the technical sector of the industry (for example, locksmiths). The agreement also covers security consultants as well as proposals for enhancing the mobility of agent (business) licences for businesses moving across all the jurisdictions.
Stage 3 (for the comprehensive regulation of the security industry) of the agreement proposes the further enhancement of mutual recognition and the establishment of national systems for security industry licensing. This could include, but is not limited to a ‘driver’s licence’ model where only one licence is needed to work in the industry across different jurisdictions.
Public Holidays
For State and Territory national holidays click here. Public Holidays