Key Points
- A new report has found security officers often go unrecognised for their efforts and the impact they have on keeping society open and safe.
- High-profile incidents like the Bondi stabbing attack have done nothing to improve public perception of the sector, its author said.
- Australia’s security officers are typically young and culturally diverse, though no official data has yet been collected.
For international student Madhur Modgill, working as a security guard in a Melbourne mall has been an "easy" option compared to other jobs.
"But I have encountered incidents where people tried to physically attack me. However, those are rare," he told SBS Hindi.
Melbourne-based international student Madhur Modgill works in the security industry. Source: Supplied / Supplied
"I believe it's an important role because the public can walk in these spaces without fear, and I think that deserves more appreciation," he said.
Although security guards are becoming increasingly prominent, the security industry generally remains out of the spotlight and draws public attention only when a "negative event" occurs, a new said.
According to the report, authored by Trish Prentice and published on International Day of the Security Officer (24 July), security officers often go unrecognised for their efforts and the impact they have on keeping society open and safe.
The Bondi stabbing incident
On 13 April, six people were killed and a dozen injured in a at a Bondi Junction shopping centre in Sydney.
Police officers walk into the Westfield shopping mall at Bondi Junction in Sydney, 19 April. Credit: Mark Baker/AP/AAP
Bryan de Caires, CEO of the peak body for security professionals, said the Bondi incident highlighted the important frontline role that security personnel perform in helping to keep the community safe.
Bryan de Caires, CEO of Australian Security Industry Association Limited. Credit: Supplied
Prentice echoed similar views on the importance of security guards, noting also that the sector employs a large number of migrant workers.
"The security sector is often maligned for its failings, yet it is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring public safety and security alongside the police and military," she said.
Sector remains 'poorly' regarded
The report found that public spaces such as Westfield Bondi Junction are vital community hubs for social interaction, highlighting the crucial role of security guards in these areas.
But it further argued that the occupation remains "poorly" regarded, and high-profile incidents have "done nothing" to improve its public perception.
Australian researcher Trish Prentice. Credit: Andrew Campbell GM.Photog FNZipp/Andrew Campbell - Melbourne Head/Supplied
"As a result, personnel are often poorly paid and face job insecurity, experiencing what is known as 'labour market disadvantage'."
"High staff turnover plagues the industry and there is a perception that security work is only a short-term job, rather than a career path."
"Yet, like most essential industries, it is only in times of crisis that we realise how dependent upon it we are," the report said.
Many of these individuals are new Australians, carrying out their work with dedication in the place they have decided to call home. Their work makes a crucial contribution to our social cohesion and, as we have seen recently, often involves considerable risk.Trish Prentice, Scanlon Foundation Research Institute
The report also includes first-hand accounts from security officers, highlighting their daily challenges and providing insights into their lives.
The growing security industry
Across Australia, private security guards, who often resemble police officers, are deployed to patrol shops, hotels, hospitals and many private and open spaces.
According to the ASIAL, the security sector in Australia is expanding rapidly, with over 160,000 licensed security officers nationwide.
De Caires said this number is predicted to exceed 200,000 in the next five years.
"The changing security threat environment has driven growing demand for the services provided by the security industry."
Image of security guards directing the public at the front entrance of Westfield shopping plaza at Woden in Canberra, Tuesday, May 16, 2006. The centre was evacuated this morning after the discovery of a 'suspicious package'. (AAP Image/Alan Porritt) NO ARCHIVING Credit: ALAN PORRITT/AAPIMAGE
According to the Scanlon report, Australia’s security officers are typically young and culturally diverse.
But Prentice said no official data has yet been collected on the cultural background of employees in the sector.
Statistics show most are between 25 and 34 years old, although there is a cohort who have come to the industry later in life as either a third or fourth career, or as a way of generating additional income, the report noted.
Security checks at the MCG in Melbourne at an AFL game. Credit: MICHAEL DODGE/AAPIMAGE
"While the archetype of a security officer is often white and male, exuding latent brute force, the workforce is actually more nuanced, with individuals from many different backgrounds and motivations drawn to the job," the report said.
De Caires concurred with the report, noting that a substantial number of newcomers to the security industry are recent migrants to Australia.
"The reality is that the security industry touches every facet of our day to lives. Without it the Australian economy would not be able to function effectively," he said.
"Recognition is long overdue for the thousands of security personnel, which includes many recent migrants working in the security industry who play a critical part in helping keep our community safe."
