Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:632;Page:4067] 
9.  
RON MARK (NZ First) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Justice 
: Is he satisfied with the effectiveness of the current system by which security guards and security firms are licensed and monitored? 
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister of Justice) 
 on behalf of the  
Associate Minister of Justice 
: The Government recognises that there is a need to update the current system and that work is on the Ministry of Justice’s work plan. I thank the member for bringing these issues to the fore. I can advise the member that the Government proposes to ensure that all security guards undertake relevant training; to extend coverage of the licensing regime to include crowd controllers bodyguards and other security staff; and to significantly increase the financial penalties on both firms and individuals. I know that the member has a genuine interest in this area and I would welcome his further involvement in looking at the issues as we work through the reforms. 
Ron Mark 
: Is the Minister aware that although industry sources estimate the number of security guards operating to be between 7000 and 8000 the Ministry of Justice lists only 4714 security guards operating and that 44 percent of those identified in the ministry’s figures are operating without licences due to an administrative backlog and outstanding police checks; does he consider that is acceptable? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: The Associate Minister of Justice has some familiarity with those numbers and I think the simple answer is no it is not acceptable and we have to do better. The member will be equally interested to know that I think the industry itself has started to recognise perhaps because of some of the attention that has been drawn to it that it has to do better. The industry is reported to have recognised that by instituting an audit regime of its own to do random checks on maverick operators. I welcome that but there is more that we can do as well—and we will do so. 
Ron Mark 
: Does the Minister know how many of the 44 percent of security guards identified by the ministry as unlicensed have obtained temporary permission from the police to operate while their application is being considered; if he does not and if the ministry does not would he agree with the statement made by former Associate Minister of Justice Lianne Dalziel in 2003 that: “The number of unlicensed operators in the industry is a serious matter.” and when will we see corrective legislation come before the House? 
Hon MARK BURTON 
: I do not have advice on that particular matter in front of me but I think it is the case that there is no record of those members of the industry who have temporary permits. I do agree with the comment made by the former Associate Minister. As I have indicated to the member the matter is now on the current year’s work programme and I will welcome that member’s input into the work to fix the problem. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek the leave of the House to table a document dated 21 January 2003. It is a letter from the Hon Lianne Dalziel in which she agrees that the number of unlicensed operators in the industry is a serious matter. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek the leave of the House to table a release dated 20 June 2002 from former Minister of Justice Mr Paul Swain who stated that legislation was under way as a matter of urgency. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.