- Australia
- Saturday, 7
February 2009
-
- 170
Queenslanders refused bouncer licenses after charges
-
More than 170 people have
been refused a licence to work as a bouncer after police
checks found they had criminal convictions or had faced
serious charges.
A Mount Isa man,
41, who had been charged with rape, deprivation of liberty
and assault, is among 173 applicants who have been refused a
licence since July 1 last year.
Others to be
rejected were a Brisbane man, 24, whose criminal history
includes assault, drug possession, illegal entry and
receiving tainted property; and a 41-year-old Townsville
man, charged with assault and stealing, although no
convictions were recorded against him.
Between 2004 and
2006, bouncers were involved in 19 deaths at or near
licensed premises in Queensland.
Since November,
the Department of Justice has run daily police checks to
ensure no licensed security providers have been charged or
convicted of disqualifying offences.
The SCRAM –
suitability, checking, reporting and monitoring – system
checks the state's 23,000 licensed providers.
"What this
system does is allow us to suspend the individuals as soon
as they are charged with offences such as assault, sexual
assault, fraud, murder, stealing and drug offences,"
Attorney-General Kerry Shine said.
Since July 1,
the security licences of 22 bouncers around the state have
been cancelled and another 24 suspended.
"We would expect
to see further suspensions and disqualifications within the
coming months if security licence-holders are convicted of
disqualifying offences," Mr. Shine said.
He said security
licences also could be refused on the basis of public
interest.
"Security
providers need to be responsible and professional people,"
he said. "Most play an important role in maintaining the
peace."