1      How many security staff are employed at Parliament House:

(a)   in total;

(b)   as permanent employees; and

(c)   as casual employees.

   2      How many permanent employees and casual employees are employed under Australian Workplace Agreements?

   3      How many full-time equivalent security staff positions are engaged on a:

(a)   typical parliamentary sitting day; and

(b)   non-sitting day.

   4      What training is provided to:

(a)   permanent security staff; and

(b)   casual security staff.

   5      What is the annual attrition rate for:

(a)   permanent security staff; and

(b)   casual security staff.

   1      The numbers of staff employed in the PSS are as follows:

(a)   As at 15 August 2005 there were 149 staff employed in the Parliamentary Security Service;

(b)   97 are ongoing; and

(c)   52 are non-ongoing, of whom:

(i)   18 are non-ongoing full-time PSS officers;

(ii)   21 are non-ongoing part-time PSS officers; and

(iii)   13 are non-ongoing PSS staff employed to work on an irregular or intermittent basis.

   2      No employees of the Parliamentary Security Service are employed under Australian Workplace Agreements.

   3      The numbers of full-time equivalent PSS staff rostered are as follows:

(a)   PSS staff are rostered to fill 119 shifts on a typical sitting day.

(b)   PSS staff are rostered to fill 84 shifts on a typical non-sitting weekday.

(c)   PSS staff are rostered to fill 43 shifts over a typical weekend.

   4      All Parliamentary Security Service staff, whether ongoing or non-ongoing, undergo the same training regime, and competency standards are the same for all PSS staff. An outline of training requirements is at Attachment A.

   5      The attrition rate for the Parliamentary Security Service in 2004-05 is as follows:

(a)   Ongoing staff: there were 14 cessations during 2004-05. This is just over 14% of the permanent staff numbers (the attrition rate for DPS as a whole was 10.53%).

(b)   Non-ongoing staff: there were 47 cessations during 2004-05, of whom:

(i)   one was a non-ongoing full-time PSS officer;

(ii)   45 were non-ongoing part-time PSS officers (38 of these cessations reflected the expiry of non-ongoing contracts on the dissolution of the 40th Parliament—21 of these officers recommenced at the start of the 41st Parliament); and

(iii)   one was a non-ongoing PSS officer employed to work on an irregular or intermittent basis.

Figures for previous years are not readily available because of the transfer of security functions and staff from the chamber departments during 2003.

Attachment A

Training Requirements for the Parliamentary Security Service

   1      The ACT Government currently requires that anyone working as a security guard must have either a Certificate II in Security Guarding or a Certificate II in Security Operations.  Although not covered by the legislation, the PSS complies with the requirement.

   2      The Certificate II in Security Operations is being implemented as the new standard by the ACT Government with the Certificate II in Security Guarding being progressively phased out.  All current PSS officers with a Certificate II in Security Guarding are having their qualifications upgraded to a Certificate II in Security Operations on a progressive basis.  The competencies of these two certificates are as follows:

Guarding:

• Communicate in the workplace
• Manage Conflict
• Maintain occupational health & safety
• Manage own performance
• Operate basic security equipment
• Maintain an effective relationship with clients/customers
• Work as part of a team
• Interpret and comply with legal and procedural requirements
• Maintain the security of premises and property
• Control access to and exit from premises
• Maintain safety of premises and personnel
• Screen baggage and people to minimise security risks
• Control crowds
• Prepare evidence for use in court.

Operations:

• Communicate effectively in the security industry
• Maintain workplace safety
• Work effectively in the security industry
• Work as part of a team
• Provide security services to customers
• Provide First Aid
• Respond to security risk situations
• Control access to and exit from premises
• Monitor and control individual and crowd behaviour
• Operate basic security equipment
• Patrol premises
• Protect self and others using basic defensive tactics

Security

Rosters

IRIMS - Electronic Report Writing

Loading Dock X-Ray machines

Improvised Explosive Device search procedures

Fire extinguisher training

Hand-held and walk-through metal detectors

Mental health crises team

Electronic security

Emergency procedures

Parliamentary procedures

Point duty

Patrols

Recognition of Senators and Members

Gallery procedures

Dress standards

Pass system

Defensive tactics

Screening baggage and people

Chamber doors

Radio procedures

Corporate

Pay and conditions

OH&S

Parliamentary Service Code of Conduct

Use of computers

Report writing

Performance management

   4      All PSS officers are also required to undertake a 3-day period of revalidation training each year in the following subjects:

(a)   Defensive Tactics (1 Day)

(b)   X-Ray interpretation  (1 Day)

(c)   Fire Extinguisher training (½ Day)

(d)   CPR (½ Day).

   5      Those officers rostered for duty on the Chamber floors are required to undertake an additional 2-day Advanced Defensive Tactics course.

   6      Staff are also required to attend a 1-day Senior First Aid course every 3 years, with Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) being assessed every year as part of the 3-day revalidation training.

   7      Training competencies and standards are the same for all PSS officers, regardless of their employment classification.