Electronic security register guideline

We have released a guideline for the use of an electronic security register (ESR).

Across Queensland, it is common practice for licensees to combine a security register and an incident register and maintain a single register containing all required information.

This new guideline advises that when all legislative requirements for a security register and an incident register are satisfied, this single register can be an ESR.

At certain licensed premises and as part of a licensee’s requirement to keep and maintain these registers, the new guideline takes the legislative requirements for the relevant Acts into account.

Legislation requirements

Licensees at certain licensed premises must keep and maintain both:

• a security register (Security Providers Act 1993 and Security Providers Regulation 2008)
• an incident register (Liquor Act 1992 and the Liquor Regulation 2002).

All 4 pieces of legislation require you to keep a security register and incident register as separate documents.

In reality, many licensees combine the 2 and maintain 1 register with all required information.

This guideline states that the single register can be an ESR as long as all legislative requirements are satisfied.

It is the responsibility of the licensee or holder of the register to ensure that the contents of the register meet the legislative requirements—whether an ESR, or as separate security and incident registers.

Requirements of an ESR

An ESR is where required information is recorded electronically. It is required to be:

• legible and sequentially numbered
• bound upon printing when provided for inspection.

A compliant register (including an ESR) will be secure in its design and functionality so that information and records cannot be altered or deleted.

Access to a register will be only by authorised officers. These include:

• officers of
  • Office of Fair Trading (OFT)
  • Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR)
  • the Queensland Police Service (QPS)
• a liquor licensee
• the liquor licensee’s approved manager
• a crowd controller
• a member of the liquor licensee’s staff involved in an incident recorded in the register.

A compliant register must be accessible at all times and available for inspection while OFT, OLGR or QPS officers are at the licensed premises that a recorded incident relates to.

An authorised officer may ask a liquor licensee, the liquor licensee’s approved manager, a crowd controller or a member of the liquor licensee’s staff involved in an incident recorded in the register, to immediately provide copies or extracts of entries in the register about an incident to which the entries relate.

To read more about the guideline including compliance requirements, download the guideline.