Security licence exemption for ID scanning

Mandatory ID scanning for most liquor licensed venues in safe night precincts commenced on 1 July 2017.

As a general principle, anyone involved in screening the entry of a person into a place must be licensed as a crowd controller.

However, the Commissioner for Liquor, Gaming and Fair Trading recognises that some liquor licensees will have employees whose role is only to scan a patron’s ID, and not directly interact with the patron.

The Commissioner is able to enact certain exemptions from licensing requirements under the Security Providers Act 1993. The Commissioner has applied an exemption to allow some flexibility for liquor licensed venues that are required to scan IDs.

It was determined this guideline would be reviewed after 12 months to assess its effectiveness. As a result of this review, the guideline has been amended to allow an ID scanner operator to be unlicensed on the condition they are supervised indirectly by a licenced crowd controller on duty on the licenced premises.

The exemption

A person scanning an ID will not need to be licensed as a crowd controller only if all of the following conditions are met:

• ID scanning is mandatory for the venue.
• The person scanning ID is indirectly supervised by a licensed crowd controller at all times while performing ID scanning.
• If the ID scan identifies a banned patron, only a licensed crowd controller may remove that person from on or around the premises.
• In any physical interaction between a licensed crowd controller and a patron, a person merely scanning a patron’s ID must avoid all involvement.
• The person scanning ID must be appropriately trained to operate the scanning system.

A practical example

When a patron wants to enter a venue, a host or hostess will perform the actual scanning of the patron’s ID into the ID scanner. A licensed crowd controller on duty at a licensed premises will indirectly supervise the host or hostess operating the ID scanner.

The person operating the ID scanner will:

1. Request ID from the patron.
2. Visually assess the authenticity and currency of the ID.
3. Ensure the photo on the ID matches the patron.
4. Scan the ID using the ID scanner, to ensure the patron is not banned.

The crowd controller will:

1. Ensure the patron conforms to the venue’s admission criteria (they aren’t unduly intoxicated, disruptive, or inappropriately attired or presented).
2. If the patron is banned or otherwise unsuitable to enter the premises, the licensed crowd controller will refuse entry in a firm, polite, non-confrontational and professional way.
3. Manage any direct interaction with patrons.