❓ A parliamentary question regarding security breaches and employment practices at the Art Gallery of WA, prompting investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The Minister acknowledges the issues but defends the existing security contract, citing minor incidents and ongoing investigations.
AnsweredQoN 845Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the ABC news article published on 31 March 2017 outlining issues with the security at the Art Gallery of WA, including security staff being paid cash in hand, an external door being found unlocked and a set of keys being missing for weeks, and ask: (a) is the Minister aware of these issues; (b) given that security procedures were not being followed, has the Minister sought to have the security contract with Business Risks International (“BRI”) terminated: (i) if not, why not; (c) has the employee survey by BRI been completed; (d) if yes to (c), will the Minister table a copy of the survey results; (e) given the serious allegations about the conduct of BRI staff, why was the employee survey not undertaken by an independent third party; (f) has an independent, external review been undertaken into these issues; (g) if yes to (f), will the Minister table a copy of the findings; and (h) if no to (f), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 August 2017
Responded by
Minister for Culture and the Arts
Response time
6 days
(a) Yes.
(b) No.
(i) Security procedures have been followed. Claims of potential security weaknesses made in the media have been investigated and were all found to relate to minor incidents which had been reported to AGWA. The media claim of an unlocked external door was a minor incident reported to AGWA in August 2014 when an Administration Building external door with keypad access did not have the after-hours bolts in place in the evening. Administration staff were still onsite at the time of the incident, the area is monitored by security cameras and the normal after hours lock up check resulted in the bolts being secured. The missing set of keys were duplicate keys for office areas which had been misplaced. There was no security risk as offices and buildings are locked and secured during routine night time lockup procedures.
(c) No.
(d) Not applicable.
(e) The planned employee survey did not go ahead because an independent investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman was initiated and is ongoing.
(f) The Fair Work Ombudsman is carrying out an independent investigation of work practices which has included interviews with BRI staff. The Fair Work Ombudsman has not indicated when the investigation will be completed.
(g) Once the investigation is complete the finds will be available through the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/access-accountability-and-reporting/inquiry-reports
(h) Not applicable.
(b) No.
(i) Security procedures have been followed. Claims of potential security weaknesses made in the media have been investigated and were all found to relate to minor incidents which had been reported to AGWA. The media claim of an unlocked external door was a minor incident reported to AGWA in August 2014 when an Administration Building external door with keypad access did not have the after-hours bolts in place in the evening. Administration staff were still onsite at the time of the incident, the area is monitored by security cameras and the normal after hours lock up check resulted in the bolts being secured. The missing set of keys were duplicate keys for office areas which had been misplaced. There was no security risk as offices and buildings are locked and secured during routine night time lockup procedures.
(c) No.
(d) Not applicable.
(e) The planned employee survey did not go ahead because an independent investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman was initiated and is ongoing.
(f) The Fair Work Ombudsman is carrying out an independent investigation of work practices which has included interviews with BRI staff. The Fair Work Ombudsman has not indicated when the investigation will be completed.
(g) Once the investigation is complete the finds will be available through the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/access-accountability-and-reporting/inquiry-reports
(h) Not applicable.
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