A crackdown by authorities has found and fined a number of unlicensed security guards, after a video was circulated of bouncers throwing a man and woman down stairs.
The operation was a collaboration between Queensland Police, OLGR (Office of Liquor & Gaming) and the Office of Fair Trading.
Over the last weekend in May, the patrol tapped 59 security personnel at 34 Gold Coast venues.
Five guards were heavily fined for being unlicensed.
Justice Minister Shannon Fentiman explained it was prompted by reports of security personnel mistreating patrons at Gold Coast venues.
“We want to ensure patrons can enjoy a night out with friends safely,” said Fentiman.
It is essential security personnel are properly trained and meet strict requirements before they are eligible for security licences, including undergoing a criminal history check.
“It is often a difficult role, and that is why only suitable, trained and licensed staff should be involved.”
The action follows the spread of footage showing three security guards at the Grand Hotel in Labrador responding violently to a couple that had been removed from the pub for disruptive conduct.
The video was taken by a bystander and grainy images showed the guards arguing with a man and woman near the Hotel’s stairs, on a night in mid-May.
The woman was shaking her finger at the bald guard, who shoves her back down the stairs. She stays on her feet and comes back, only to be shoved bodily down the stairs – risking serious injury.
Her companion makes a move and is swiftly also shoved backwards down the stairs by one of the other guards, bouncing off a retaining wall. He rushes back and is kicked in the gut by the guard.
A third guard then notices the person filming and rushes to put a stop to the video.
Circulating on social media, the incident drew many comments from outraged viewers, suggesting the guards needed to be punished.
But one pundit made the point that if the pair had left when they were told to do so the incident would not have occurred, suggesting “refusing their directions and arguing … it’s never going to end well”.
Queensland authorities have warned that strict penalties apply for venues caught employing unlicensed security personnel, due to the level of risk it places on patrons and the operator.
Venues face fines greater than $68k for a first offence, and a possible prison sentence on future offences.
Management of the Grand Hotel declined to comment except to say the guards in the video were not their employees, but those of a company contracted for the job.
