Across Australia there is increasing regulatory attention on the private security sector. There is a growing focus on licensing status, compliance governance and documentation systems.
Holding a current master licence is essential. However, regulators, clients and insurers are placing greater emphasis on whether security businesses can demonstrate structured, accurate and readily accessible compliance records.
This shift reflects a broader expectation: that professional operators maintain systems capable of providing evidence of compliance – not merely asserting it.
For security providers, this includes maintaining clear records of:
• Individual licence currency and licence class authorisations
• Mandatory training completion and refresher requirements
• Incident reporting and record retention systems
• Supervision and deployment structures
• Subcontractor due diligence and contractual compliance obligations
In several jurisdictions, audits are becoming more structured and evidence-based. Where documentation is incomplete, inconsistent or difficult to produce, this can elevate regulatory concern even where operational performance has been sound.
This is particularly relevant for businesses operating across multiple states and territories, where obligations differ in areas such as:
• Licence classes and authorised activities (including crowd control functions where applicable)
• Mandatory refresher training requirements
• Record-keeping and retention periods
• Incident reporting timeframes
• Identification display requirements
A compliance approach suitable in one jurisdiction may not meet the documentary expectations of another.
For SPAAL members, this presents both a risk and an opportunity.
The risk lies in administrative gaps that may expose businesses to regulatory action, contractual disputes or reputational damage.
The opportunity lies in strengthening compliance governance frameworks. Businesses that proactively review:
• Centralised licence registers
• Training currency tracking systems
• Contractor onboarding and verification processes
• Incident documentation protocols
• Multi-state regulatory mapping
are better positioned to demonstrate ethical, compliant and professionally managed operations.
In an environment where public scrutiny of private security continues to increase, administrative discipline is becoming a defining marker of industry professionalism.
SPAAL will continue to monitor regulatory developments across Australia and provide updates relevant to members in each state and territory.
State Note
Members operating across jurisdictions should regularly review the specific requirements of the state regulator in which services are delivered. Licensing and documentation standards differ and are updated periodically.