NZ Security Industry

Kia Ora,

With the NZ Government going through the process of renewing the laws governing security in NZ there needs to be greater awareness of what improvements are required within the industry & why.

First comment is that in general the NZ security industry just plays at security.

There are a number of reasons for that comment & in no way says that those performing the tasks are not putting a full effort into it.

To begin with probably one of the biggest limits on the industry is the NZ mindset on the requirements for security. Of all the countries travelled this is the one that the citizens will have the opinion that all restrictions are great except on them.

Then there is the companies who realizing this just put minimum effort in. In fact most have the view (& I have being told this by many of them) that if you see a crime or suspicious activity & it is not on your clients property ignore it. That leaves big holes similar to those that allowed the 9/11 attackers to get through.

NZ does not comply with international basic standards & are in fact are almost universally in regards to security in breach of the health & safety requirements. To do so would require a risk assessment & that just does not happen. Clients are not interested as if they are going to save money it is in cutting security.

Lack of training in most instances that is what the industry requires. NZQA is a joke & doesn't actually cover the basics required of a guard.

Internationally what has being found as only way that works is a legislated minimum formula. This also allows the industry to be an aid to the police in reducing crime. Not an aid to increasing crime as happens now with most of it going unreported.

Many in NZ will think this is over the top. Like many who worked there I felt safer in Baghdad than I do in Christchurch because of the random nature of the crime here & fact that will low population denisty on the surface NZ 'appears' safe.