FED: Forum considers bouncer behaviour

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2004
FED: Forum considers bouncer behaviour

By Katherine Danks

SYDNEY, April 15 AAP - A bouncer who watched a young woman being beaten by her boyfriend
outside a pub he was guarding refused to intervene, telling horrified onlookers "she probably
deserved it".

The case was highlighted today as community groups, police and industry representatives
gathered at a forum on bouncer behaviour.

They called for a national standard to ensure safe practices within the industry.

The Youth Action and Policy Association (YAHA) said the case was one of many reports
it had received about discrimination or violence from security staff.

"There is the perception that security don't treat them (young people) with respect
or hear their side of the story," YAHA CEO Kristy Delany told the forum, hosted by Standards
Australia.

The forum came three months after former Australian Test cricketer David Hookes died
in hospital from head injuries suffered after he was allegedly bashed in a scuffle with
a security guard outside a Melbourne hotel.

The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) refused to comment on
Hookes' death today but called for stronger industry regulation in its submission.

LHMU assistant national secretary Jo-anne Schofield said employers increasingly looked
to security staff to deal with problems as they happen, rather than enforce preventative
measures, such as responsible service of alcohol.

"We don't want an industry standard where the workers are scapegoated and blamed for
poor industry outcomes over which they had no control," Ms Schofield told the audience.

She said individual workers often were blamed for an industry with low-entry requirements
based on minimal training and minimal regulation.

A solid industry standard would include employer responsibility, responsible service
of alcohol, enforcement, adequate staffing and training, she said.

The Australian Hoteliers Association (AHA) called for a national approach to licensing,
with industry training to focus more on verbal skills and customer service.

"We don't need to teach them to be tougher, or to go to the gym, we need to teach them
to use their mouths and their brains to deflect verbally the sort of abuse that they will
get from the public," AHA general operations manager Andrew Vlachos said.

Miles King, from Victoria Police, said everyone had to take responsibility for crowd violence.

"I think one issue that has been overlooked in recent times is why do we need crowd
controlling? I think that is a community issue that we all should think about."

Poor pay and training were common concerns voiced by attendees when the floor was opened
up for questions.

Nuforce Security Services general manager Paul Kelson called for a national approach
to licensing but said the "intellectuals" who joined today's forum never listened to what
security guards wanted.

"We can sit here and talk about these type of things for hours and hours and hours
but noone ever listens (to the workers)," Mr Kelson said.

AAP kjd/nf/jv/jlw/

KEYWORD: BOUNCER

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