“Truly nothing is to be expected but the unexpected.” – Alice James.
Welcome to our fourth edition as new publishers of the ASM. We are now in full stride having expanded from the original 34 pages to now 100 pages of quality content, with still a range of new features to introduce. So it goes, that amongst our regular series we have a special theme for this feature edition, CCTV Surveillance.
Following the outcomes from a CCTV Technical Forum and CCTV World Conference held in Sydney in late 2011, ASM features the Who’s Who in CCTV. Our feature also coincides with our new Consultant’s Corner Series. We hear from world experts and Australia’s leading security specialists on CCTV’s current state of play. There are clear trends towards digital convergence and introduction of facial recognition and other biometric technology is paving the way for an urgent need to audit and review a host of public and semi-public CCTV systems. There is a growing body of knowledge, presented in this issue, which provides an ideal guide for further developing best practice for public CCTV installations, operations, management and compliance monitoring. In addition to our articles, also visit MySecurity TV for interviews filmed with many of our CCTV contributors and leading CCTV vendors.
Despite being our fourth edition, but in ASM’s seventh year, we are not ones to wait too long before doing something new and different. The feedback we’ve received to date has provided our team with great confidence. We are setting out to take ASM to a new level and continue as uniquely strategic and professionally credible.
In this issue, we look to expose the practice of ‘phoenixing’ in the security industry, with a special report by Adeline Teoh. We encourage you to read with interest and if urged to act, contact your relevant MP and forward them a copy of the Article. We will in turn be seeking comments from Ministers and Regulators as to how these issues are being addressed – not just rhetoric, but seeking to report on actual cases. Stay tuned.
Some recent ASM articles are being re-published in the UK and Indonesia and we hope to bring some exciting news in our next edition about our expansion and growing links within Asia. We welcome the continued contribution and support from the many security professionals and thought leaders in Australia and around the world. We aim to make it clear that the security profession and industry is well worth listening too. However, when it comes to dealing with Government, there are hurdles and indeed, reluctance at times to receive engagement.
“The Australian Government does not understand business” has been the mainstream call from business, so the security industry is not alone. There has been a “scathing” attack on the Government’s performance made by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) in the Director’s Sentiment Index for the second half of 2011. Tony Featherstone for the AICD went as far as to say “Directors have a right to criticise the Government. Too much misguided policy has been accompanied by poor execution and even worse consultation…Perhaps the relationship between business and the current Federal Government is simply beyond repair.” If so, this is of major concern in terms of the security industry seeing progression of the National Occupation Licensing legislation in the immediate term. Regardless, there is a great deal of consultation which can get underway now.
The onus for change appears fixed on the industry to effectively lobby our State and Federal Governments to initiate needed change. There are several areas worth raising, namely the degree of equality within the industry nationally, Federal registration for security professionals and the degree of regulatory control which should be applied to security industry sectors, which contrasts the industry and say, the differences between crowd controllers through to IT Security technicians. The ASM will continue to report on the industry’s progression on these important issues.
The Cover
The selection of our front cover profile has been very well received and we intend to maintain this approach to further highlight the most important aspect of the security profession – its people and the individuals who are making a difference. Dr. Rustom Kanga, CEO of iOmniscient represents Australian entrepreneurship and innovation from the commercialisation of patented video analytical software, developed partly from CSSIP, a CRC in Adelaide since 1994, acquired by the company in 2001 and further developed until a launch in 2004. That was the start. Since then the company has developed many new technologies and that original technology would come to constitute only 5 per cent of the portfolio.
Today, iOmniscient has a team of 45 engineers developing new technologies in this field. Having watched iOmniscient with interest, we have seen Dr. Rustom and his co-Director Ivy Li take iOmniscient to the world and become Ambassadors for Security Innovations in Australia. The technology has been awarded a host of international industry awards, most recently the IFSEC 2011 CCTV Product of the Year, 2010 Global Security Challenge for Crowded Places and Australia’s Engineering Excellence Award for a rail project in China. The VA technology is on display at key events held throughout the year in the UK, UAE, USA and China. For this reason, Dr. Rustom and his partners should be an inspiration to any budding innovator and recognised for taking the Australian security industry to the world!
Tour to Israel Re-Scheduled
My Security Media Pty Limited is organising a Security Fundamentals Tour of Israel. The Tour is based on the First Government to Government Homeland Security Mission to Israel in 2009.
In addition to an impressive tour schedule, we have recently secured the interest of a film production company, who will develop a television documentary (approx 60 minutes duration) relating to the Tour. The documentary will examine the pinnacles of knowledge and expertise in modern security.
The project will include filming in Israel and Australia to highlight the comparisons and contrasts between security approaches in each of the two countries. The production will be produced and directed for mainstream media television viewing, with additional filming/editing designed to allow specific industry issues to be covered for special interest purposes.
This is truly a unique opportunity that requires key industry organisations to support and we are actively seeking interest in corporate sponsorship to fund film production.
To allow the documentary venture to develop, we have re-scheduled our Tour of Israel to June 2013. To register your interest and to find out more, please contact us directly at ccubbage@mysecurity.com.au
Once again, we hope this issue has demonstrated the breadth of the security profession and the exciting challenges we all face, albeit to different degrees. I encourage you to visit the ASM website, enjoy MySecurity TV and engage with us via our social media. I welcome and look forward to hearing your feedback.
Correction: In our previous issue for CHOGM (page 33) we referred to Australian Protection Services, not Australian Protective Services as printed.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Cubbage.
