CEO’s REPORT

Welcome to our November 2023 newsletter.

Congratulations to all the finalists and award winners at this year’s New Zealand Security Awards held on 15 September at Te Pae in Christchurch.

We had close to 200 attendees and whilst I was unable to attend due to contracting Covid, the feedback has been fantastic with many saying it was the best event yet. Whilst the venue, the food, and our MC Doug Kamo all got rave reviews, the standout was undoubtably the calibre of the category winners, and in particular the Security Professional of the Year, Neekita Prakash from First Security.

Details on the award winners, including their citations, can be found on the NZSA website.

I can confirm that the 2024 New Zealand Security Awards event will be held in Auckland on Friday 20 September at the Crowne Plaza. Make sure you have the date in your diary.

 

FPA (Fair Pay Agreement) update
Whilst the exact structure and composition of the new government will not be known until early November at best, it appears certain that the FPA legislation will be repealed with some haste.

That does however leave the respective bargaining parties under those FPA’s that are in progress in a degree of limbo where they are obligated to comply with the existing legislation and to act in good faith.

Our position is that it is perfectly in good faith for employer associations to take time to properly understand the impact of the election, consider what actions the new government (once formed) intends to take; and to consult with the employers we are representing about the actions they wish for us to take as their representative.

It is also fair to say that the view of the NZSA board, and various industry employers that I have talked to post the election, is that we do not want to commit further time and cost to a process that almost certainly will not progress.

We have conveyed this message to both MBIE and Etu (as the employer bargaining party) and will maintain ongoing communications with them and our impacted members over coming weeks.

 

Application for inclusion of Security Technicians on Green List
It was very disappointing to find out from MBIE that our application for the inclusion of Security Technicians onto the Green List was unsuccessful. It is our understanding that only 14 applications were approved from a substantial list of submissions, and it looks like prioritisation was based on those positions with the greatest demand (based on historical applications) and those deemed to be nationally significant (such as important to health outcomes or pivotal to established value chain).

We have requested further clarification from MBIE on the opportunity to apply via other ANZSCO codes where applicants in specialised jobs may be able to apply under an existing Green List role if their job description is a substantial match and they meet the skill requirements.

Similarly, we are waiting advice on any possible changes to the Green List under the incoming government.

We will keep members posted on any developments.

 

Licensing requirements – Wheel Clampers and Process Servers
Members may have seen recent press articles concerning PSPLA decisions relating to Wheel Clampers and Process Servers.

The following communication has been provided by our Registrar, Trish McConnell, to provide clarity.

Wheel Clampers
Third party operators who are in the business of patrolling car parks and clamping cars or issuing tickets fit within the definition of property guard, provided they are being paid to do so. The payment can be a contractual amount from the owners of the car park or payments by way of fees directly from the drivers of the cars clamped or ticketed.

Owners or legal occupiers of parking areas or buildings who patrol or clamp vehicles infringing parking restrictions do not fit within the definition of property guard. In addition, their employees are not property guard employees as defined in S17 of the PSPPI Act.

If the owners or occupiers contract the patrolling and enforcement of parking restrictions to a third party, then the third party must hold a security licence in the class of property guard. Any of their employees who carry out patrolling, ticketing and clamping also need to hold a CoA in that class.

Similarly, if a party takes it upon themselves to enforce parking restrictions in areas where they have no ownership or occupation rights they must have a licence in the class of property guard if they are collecting fees or payments from the drivers or owners of the cars they ticket or clamp.

Process Servers
It is clear from the class definitions that serving documents, whether for the court or re debt collection work, does not need to be carried out by a Private Investigator, and therefore does not require the individual or company providing the services to be licensed. The reason why the work is often done by a licensed Private Investigator is that professional process servers will often also do work in tracking people down in order to serve them. It is the tracing and tracking work that requires a licence in the Private Investigator class, not the document service itself.

 

Changes to Building Code
Those who are installing smoke detectors into residential properties, or supplying to the market, are reminded that changes to the Building Code come into force in November.

Key points are:

• The adoption of interconnected smoke alarms as the minimum fire safety system in household units. (Interconnected smoke alarms work by sending signals between the smoke alarms in a house and can be wired or wireless).
• Smoke alarms shall be located in all bedrooms, living spaces, hallways, and landings within the building.

Smoke alarms must also comply with at least one of the following:

• UL217, CAN/ULC S531, BS EN 14604, ISO 12239, or AS 3786
• All wiring between the power supply and the smoke alarms shall be supervised.
• Power supply and Backup shall comply with:
• NZS 4512 or AS/NZS 2201.1

Other key requirements are:

• Each smoke alarm should be tested at least once per month by activating the “test” function.
• Each smoke alarm should be inspected and cleaned every 6 months with a soft brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner (without disassembling).
• A long life (minimum 10 years) non removeable, sealed battery.

Note: We are seeking industry views re the 10-year battery life and based on feedback received, may approach MBIE for consultation and review. If you wish to have a say on this, please contact Gary on [email protected].

 

School Gateway Programme and attendance at CATE Conference
Over the last few weeks, we have been trialling our initial School Gateway Programme in partnership with The Learning Place (TLP). Under the programme, TLP provide a cohort of students with three to four days training and covering health and safety and the three-unit standards that make up the Certificate of Approval. On completion, the credits are registered on the students record of achievement, meaning they can apply for a CoA once they turn 18, and the students are paired with several of our members for on-job work experience.

The students can perform services as they are acting as volunteers but must be strictly supervised and not placed into at-risk situations. Whilst predominantly targeted at students interested in the guarding sector, TLP will also identify those with a technical aptitude, and we will look to match with members providing electronic services.

The benefit for our members is that they have the opportunity to talk to the students about career opportunities and where applicable to be able to offer employment to those considering leaving school.

We will formally launch the School Gateway Programme whilst attending the CATE Conference (Careers and Transitional Education Association) over the three days 22 to 24 November in Whangarei.

This conference is attended by approximately 600 school career advisors and allows us to talk directly to those who engage regularly with year 11 and 12 students across the country.

Our plan for next year is to provide a calendar on our website listing those schools and locations that TLP will be attending and inviting members to register their participation in the programme.

 

Partnership with ETCO re Apprentice Security Technician Placements

The NZSA has partnered with ETCO (Electrical Training Company) so that we can offer their Electrical Apprentices employment opportunities as entry level Security Technicians/Apprentices with NZSA members.

The candidates are currently “employed” by ETCO as apprentices whilst working towards the New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Trade) Level 4. Given that the qualification has relevance to security technician duties and can easily be changed over, and the current work vacancies within the electronic security sector, it makes sense that we look to find full-time work placements for those candidates who are open to a direction change with our members.

An added benefit for our members is that all candidates have successfully completed core training requirements such as Site Safe and First Aid, have on-job work experience and have their own tool kits.

If you are looking to employ an entry level/apprentice Security Technician, watch out for regular listings with candidate details.

 

Guiding principles for the ethical use of Automated Facial Recognition
Automated Facial Recognition (AFR) is a technology capable of matching a human face from a digital image or a video frame against a database of faces. It has been designed to improve the safety and wellbeing of people, as well as providing a tool to assist and speed up operational processes, typically being used to authenticate users through ID verification services and works by pinpointing and measuring facial features from a given image.

AFR is one of many data analysis technologies which sit under the overarching umbrella of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The ethics of AI and its application need to be regularly reviewed to ensure that it is not allowed to act autonomously without human oversight, and it should not be used in any way which causes harm to individuals.

The NZSA is closely monitoring the development of overseas guidelines on this and in particular, work by the British Security Industry Association and Australian Security Industry Association respectively. We expect to have a draft guideline specific to New Zealand legislation available for circulation and feedback by the first quarter of 2024 but in the meantime welcome any expressions of interest from parties who may wish to have input.

 

Changes to NZSA Rules/Constitution

The new Incorporated Societies Act 2022 came into force on 5 October 2023 however Incorporated Societies such as the NZSA have until April 2026 to register and make sure they are compliant with the new Act.

Our current Rules and By-Laws are robust and have been fit for purpose however there will be a significant number of changes to be made, some simple such as changing the wording from Rules to Constitution, and others more complex such as including a member Disputes and Complaints Process.

Our current planning is that we will work through all necessary changes and amendments early next year and document them fully, with explanation, for our members well prior to the 2024 AGM where they can be voted on.

 

As always, we welcome all comments and feedback on NZSA or industry issues and activity.

Keep safe and well.

Kind Regards
Gary Morrison
CEO

 

NZSA / Security Industry updates

Foundation Security Core Skills on the NZSA Training Hub
Created by Quinton Swanson of Hard Target, this course covers understanding of legislation, tactical communication, body language and projection, weapon awareness, teamwork and tactical awareness.

To register please visit the NZSA Training Hub.

 

School gateway programme
Our thanks to the teams at Alarm Solutions and Alpha Protection Services who attended the Careers Expo and Gateway Programme at St Bede’s College in Christchurch during September. We look forward to further member engagement when we officially launch our School Gateway Programme in partnership with The Learning Place in early 2024.

 

New Zealand Security Awards 2023
Congratulations to all the nominees, finalists and Award winners of the 2023 New Zealand Security Awards.

To read the winner’s stories please visit the NZSA website.

 

Partner updates

Ringa Hora

Ringa Hora would like to invite you to read the 2023 Workforce Development Plan.

Workforce development is pivotal in bolstering industry resilience, particularly in the face of an increasingly uncertain operating environment. This underscores the need for a skilled and adaptable workforce that can effectively navigate disruptions and contribute to the overall sustainability of industries.

This Workforce Development Plan presents:

• A high-level summary of the people working in the Service sector today
• The things that are top of mind for the sector
• A future vision
• Key areas of focus and actions we can take to develop the future workforce together.

Read about the Workforce Development Plan

A shared roadmap for Service sector industries

The Workforce Development Plan looks across the Service sector and sets out the major factors shaping the sector and an overarching vision for the future.

Alongside this Ringa Hora have created a Security Workforce Action Plan that focuses on the characteristics and dynamics of the industry and its workforce. It describes what the future could look like for the Security workforce, the current challenges faced by the industry, and sets out the actions we can take to tackle this wero | challenge.

How you can get involved

To make this Workforce Development Plan a reality, it needs to be driven by people who know the Service sector best – people like you. By continuing to work together, we can grow in the knowledge and understanding of the sector and its industries and create real change for the Service sector.

 

ACC – Teamwork Makes Recovery Work

When an employee is injured, it can have a significant impact – not only for the injured person, but their workmates, team morale and a business’ productivity.

In many cases and with some temporary adjustments, people can safely recover from injury while working. But it takes a team – the injured person, their health provider, employer and ACC.

Recovering at work following an injury helps people get better sooner compared to staying at home and has further benefits for them and for businesses.

For an injured person, alternative duties or modified hours are good for physical and mental wellbeing, provides structure and routine, social connection and a sense of purpose which all make a positive difference to recovery.

Supporting an injured person to stay connected to the workplace means they’re more likely to return to their usual work. For business owners, it can mean hanging on to their skills and expertise, saving on recruiting and training new staff, helps build a positive work environment and shows a commitment to employee wellbeing.

Many injured employees are keen to continue working. Most ACC clients who had a positive recovery at work experience say it helped them return to normality, increase their strength and mobility, and boost their mental and psychological health.

Employers can pay for their injured employee’s productive hours and can be topped up by ACC’s weekly compensation. It means the employee could earn up to 100% of their pre-injury income rather than 80% on weekly compensation alone.

ACC has developed new resources and videos for employers to understand their role in recovery at work, and practical quick guides to help them do it successfully.  Visit the ACC website.

 

Ministry of Social Development

Below is a summary of products/programmes from MSD to help you attact, train and retain good staff (click on the links for further details).

Mana in Mahi
Mana in Mahi matches employers with people who are keen to start a career and need extra support to begin and maintain their work and training journey.

Skills for Industry
If candidates need industry specific skills for a job, we may be able to offer funding and support to help with short-term pre-employment or in-work training. Training can be delivered by employers to meet your requirements. We work with you to develop the best approach.

Flexi-Wage
Flexi-wage helps you hire staff and get them the skills needed to do the job. You get a wage contribution, while they get training and ongoing support. The job must continue after the Flexi-wage has finished.

 

MBIE – Climate Action Plan

Create your climate action plan.

With the Climate Action Toolbox, you’re 3 steps away from having a positive impact.

• Learn where you can reduce emissions.
• Measure your carbon footprint, set a target and track progress.

Act on your step-by-step plan to reduce emissions—from quick wins you can act on today, to major changes you can prepare for.

For further information please see the Climate Action Plan Toolbox.

 

 

NZSA Membership

We welcome the following new Corporate Members:

Armitage Group Limited

Defence Security Limited

Fahey Fence Hire Limited

NPE-Tech (2021) Limited

One Man Army Security Limited

SecuriSure Limited

Total Security Limited

 

and the following new Associate Individual Member:

Clyde Field

 

Events

2023 AGM

The NZSA 2023 Annual General Meeting will be held at 8.45am on Tuesday 21 November at the Auckland Rose Park Hotel in Parnell.

If you are a member and have not received a notification please email [email protected].

 

Waihanga Ara Rau – “Inclusion In” Leadership Rōpū Hui

Calling all people passionate about progressing equity, diversity, and inclusion within construction & infrastructure. We’d love you to join us to connect, share, and make plans on how we can make change together.

Waihanga Ara Rau are hosting a hui to bring people together, with a plan to share any work we’re doing, find projects to collaborate on, and use our shared voice to influence progress in construction & infrastructure. Hosted by us, but created together.

Objectives are:

• to understand what organisations and individuals are working on to progress equity, diversity, and inclusion in construction & infrastructure in Aotearoa
• to collaborate on systemic change projects and advocate for legislation change
• to use our collective voice to influence more change
• to create a ‘one stop shop’, where anyone can find out about all our organisations and the work we’re doing to reach equity within construction & infrastructure
• to share each other’s mahi, and promote what each other are doing
• to support each other to continue this mahi, through wellbeing, education, and sharing experiences.

This will be the first of many hui, both online and in person. Hopefully you can make it! Feel free to share this invite with others who are working and/or passionate about making construction & infrastructure inclusive for all.

For further information please visit the website.

 

NZISF breakfast meeting

Topic:  Like ISO/IEC 27001 but backwards

As a consultant, Stephen Coates has witnessed a number of failed ISMS implementation projects. These are often due to a combination of focussing on the ISO/IEC 27001 mandatory clauses in sequence (from 4 to 10), treating these as a project plan and running out of steam, and trying to reimplement all of the Annex A controls at once. In this talk Stephen examines some of those failures and proposes working backwards, so that improvements, reviews, audits, metrics and operation are addressed earlier, rather than later or not at all.

When: 8:00am Thursday 9 November 2023 via zoom

For further information and to register please see NZISF.

 

Member Benefits

Strategic Defence
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Strategic Defence.

Strategic Defence provides specialist protective products to members of the security industry. These products include stab/ballistic vests, boots, fog-free protective eyewear, hand-held metal detectors, flashlights, and many more. NZSA members qualify for between 10-20% discount. Expert advice, support, and unmatched service.

For more information see the Strategic Defence website.

 

Guardhouse
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Guardhouse.

Guardhouse is an end-to-end workforce management system custom built for NZ security companies. Founded in Australia, Guardhouse is Australia’s leading security specific workforce solution, bringing our product innovation and unique workflow optimisation to the NZ market saving our clients both time and money. Our values that drive your success are customer obsessed, developing unique partnerships, simple yet powerful product design and consistent innovation and R&D.

Some of the funcationality includes, Rostering, Time & Attendance, Payroll & Invoicing + integration to accounting and payroll systemts, Welfare Checks, Incident Reporitng, Compliance Management, Company and Site SOPs with digitial signiture, Customer Portal Access, Tours and Patorls module and much more.

For more information see the Guardhouse website and blog.

 

NZSA HR Advisory Service
A reminder to members that SuccessHR are human resource consultants available for any employment support regarding your employees.

Support offered at no expense to our members is telephone communication support eg. disciplinary, performance. You also have access to individual employment agreements. Any additional support would be charged to you accordingly.

For any support or further information please contact:

Susan Beange
Human Resources Team Lead
[email protected]
021 929 528

Emma Johnston
Human Resources Specialist
[email protected]
021 659 456

 

Building Networks Compliance Guidance
Building Networks are the leading authority on building compliance and they are offering a 20% discount for members: Building Networks website.

For industry news, updates, tips and opinions from the frontline, sign up to the Building Networks newsletter or visit their YouTube channel.

 

Mobilcard
NZSA have an agreement with Mobilcard offering members fuel discounts.

Key Benefits:

• Up to 16 cents per litre (including GST) discount off the pump price for all diesel and petrol purchased at a discounted Mobilcard acceptor sites. Minimum discount of 12 cents per litre (including GST).
• Available at 330+ sites nationwide. View www.mobilfuelfinder.co.nz to find an acceptor site near you.
• No card or transaction fees.
• No need to manage receipts for tax purposes, all managed under one account.
• Costs can be tracked easily with one monthly invoice. You can also have online access to multiple reports including the fuel consumed by individual vehicles.
• PIN number and purchase restrictions for added security.
• You must be a member of the NZSA to qualify for this offer.

A vehicle consuming 100 litres per week using a discount of up to 6 cents per litre = $6 discount per week..

A vehicle consuming 100 litres per week using the NZSA MOBILCARD discount of up to 16cents per litre = $16 discount per week

For a company fleet of 20 vehicles that’s potentially an annual saving of over $10,000 per annum.

The discount level is dependent on volume of fuel used per annum.

For further information please email [email protected].

 

First Aid and Refresher Training

Life Care Consultants have extensive experience with first aid training in the security industry and are offering NZSA members a 10% discount on all first aid and refresher training.

For further information please email Russell Taylor [email protected].

 

Keeping your team up to date

Like many organisations we are constantly looking for ways to ensure we can communicate effectively with our members and their teams. The best way to stay up to date on NZSA and industry news is via our newsletter. The more people from each company who receive our newsletter, the higher the chance of updates being communicated within the industry.

With this in mind, we welcome you to send us any company contacts who would like to receive our newsletter and we will add them to our distribution list.

Please email any contacts to [email protected].

 

NZSA member referral – strength in numbers

NZSA’s membership has grown strongly over the past year and each new member not only strengthens the Association and the security community, it also enables us to provide you with more benefits and services and a greater voice for the industry. So help grow your community and strengthen your Association by referring a prospective new member.

To refer a prospective member please email details to [email protected]. For details on member benefits please see the NZSA website.