News
Department of Health Security Assessments for Schedule 8 & 9 drugs of dependence
If you are proposing to store and distribute Schedule 8 or 9 substances on your premises, you will need to have an independent security assessment from a qualified security consultant as part of the approval process from the Department of Health.
We have more than 25 years of experience in security risk assessments and the conduct of site inspections for the department. In addition to assessing the general security of the premises, we can advise whether the immediate storage facility complies with Regulation 74 from the Victorian Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations. We can also advise you on appropriate access control systems, intruder detection systems, CCTV, locks, vaults, other systems, policies, and procedures.
We have completed many such audits for some of the largest drug manufacturing and distribution centres in Australasia, including start-ups and existing companies.
2022 Men’s Cricket World Cup T20 – Security consulting
Following our experience in previous world cup’s, Risk Group is thrilled to announce our partnership with Sydney-based security firm, Reddawn Pty Ltd, in their winning bid to supply Security Liaison Officers for all teams and match officials for the tournament. Risk Group advised Reddawn in preparing the bid and developing policies, procedures and training plans to bring together a crack team of qualified security professionals. Reddawn will manage more than 50 skilled staff for the 16 teams and 3 groups of match officials in 45 matches around Australia. Risk Group will deliver the training program and provide oversight of the security program.
Redesign of security systems for the Supreme Court Victoria
In a complex project spanning more than two years, Risk Group has advised Court Services Victoria in conducting a threat, vulnerabilty and risk assessment of the Supreme Courts complex in Melbourne. This was followed by the development of a detailed systems design for an overhaul of all CCTV, access control and alarm monitoring systems, and blast impact analysis for the historic facade. Risk Group worked with a wide range of stakeholders, including the judiciary, in designing new systems as well as a new control room.
Redevelopment of Circular Quay in Sydney
Risk Group was engaged by a consortium to conduct a threat, vulnerability and risk assessment and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) review of this iconic precinct, as part of their successful bid to redesign and redevelop the entire precinct. Risk Group advised on the design of CCTV surveillance systems, access control and hostile vehicle mitigation solutions as part of the precinct-wide approach to security.
Security risk management for Tasmania’s Taste of Summer
The Taste of Summer, formerly Taste of Tasmania, is the longest running food festival in Australia and Risk Group is proud to be associated with this iconic event. Working with the event management team at Pinpoint, and key stakeholders including Events Tasmania and Hobart City Council, we will provide security risk assessments and security plans to ensure a safe and secure event for the thousands of people expected over the seven day event.
Risk Group has extensive national and international experience in planning for and the management of major events, ranging from corporate events and major sports to Olympic Games. We offer a highly structured approach to event risk using proprietary tools to simplify the process and help guide events teams in strategic and tactical options for effective security and safety.
CPTED compliance for Green Star Communities
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) launched “Green Star” in 2003 as Australia’s largest voluntary and truly holistic sustainability rating system for buildings, fitouts and communities. Green Star aims to transform the built environment by:
- reducing the impact of climate change
- enhancing our health & quality of life
- restoring and protecting our planet’s biodiversity and ecosystems
- driving resilient outcomes for buildings, fitouts, and communities
- contributing to market transformation and a sustainable economy
Green Star uses a robust, transparent and independent assessment process, to certify projects that can proudly display the Green Star Certification Trademark. One of the key obligations for Green Star certification, is to assess compliance with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and undertake a crime risk analysis. Risk Group has been providing a Green Star independent assessment service for many years, with increasing interest from developers of aged care and over 55’s communities. Our clients include architects, developers, builders and designers.
If you’re interested in pursuing Green Star accreditation, contact us for a no obligation quote and more information about our services.
Adelaide Festival Centre
The Adelaide Festival Centre recently appointed Risk Group to undertake a comprehensive review of security arrangements as part of the wider plaza redevelopment, which will see 16,500m2 of public space established in the areas surrounding the Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide Railway Station, Adelaide Casino, Parliament House and Old Parliament House and Station Road. The upgrade of the public realm will be supplemented by the construction of a 24-storey office tower, retail space, 1560-space car park and the $330M expansion of the Casino complex. Risk Group is providing expertise in analysis of existing conditions, CCTV, access control and intruder detection systems as well as manpower requirements and future directions for systems monitoring and response.
Risk Group recent projects update
The release of Australia’s Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism has generated an unprecedented demand for risk assessments of many crowded places around Australia. Many of the responses so far have been entirely reactive, resulting in sub-standard “solutions” that in many cases actually add risk to the amenity of the area as an unintended consequence. Too often the focus is on the solution without really understanding the root cause of the problem. Describing problems in solution language e.g. “we need bollards” or “we need more CCTV”, is common without any deep analysis and understanding of the threat environment, the credible risks and the range of realistic and cost-effective control measures that are needed to form a comprehensive and integrated approach. Much of the frenetic activity in this space is being generated by suppliers of hardware that have little understanding of the risk management process or the threat environment and it’s this fundamental failure of process, that will leave many customers without a defensible solution in a worst-case scenario. This flawed approach can immediately impact business continuity, incur significant reputational damage and include longer-term impact from regulatory or legal intervention. Doing nothing is simply not an option; luck isn’t a strategy and the only proven approach to effective hostile vehicle mitigation is to follow a clearly defined methodology instead of leaping to off the shelf quick fix “solutions”.
Risk Group offers a complete consulting package. We don’t sell hardware, we work with you and your stakeholders to build a reliable and defensible model using proven methods, international standards and the combined expertise of our small team of experts. They include people like Dr Daniel Knight PhD and Matthew Knight, highly qualified engineers who conduct detailed vector analysis using proprietary tools to design rated perimeter protection solutions. It includes Paul Camilleri, a CCTV, access control and electronic security systems specialist, whose work spans 30 years with government and business here and overseas. It includes experts in the threat environment like David Desmarchelier, whose experience in major events management is simply without peer and spans more than ten Olympic games, and a continuing role as security advisor to the International Olympic Committee.
The market for our services continues to grow with increasing recognition of the need for a proper process to underpin any physical security and procedural controls. We have recently completed large projects for the Supreme Courts in Victoria, reviewing all aspects of physical security of the courts. Working with Wood and Grieve Engineers, we have conducted reviews of the Australian National Maritime Museum at Pyrmont in Sydney and new facilities for the NSW Department of Industry. We are active in the local government sphere, currently working with Waverley Council NSW in security and public safety reviews of iconic crowded places such as Bondi Beach and other crowded spaces in the municipality. Risk Group also continues its long association with the GPT Group as their trusted advisors for more than 15 years, with current projects across multiple shopping centres in their extensive portfolio.
What are your obligations as the owner or operator of a venue that falls within the scope of the crowded places guidelines? What are the risks to your venue and what control measures will be most effective? How do you develop a compliance plan? Risk Group can help you to work through these issues and develop an enduring plan for better overall physical security.
Risk Group partners with Knight Brothers in design of hostile vehicle mitigation and perimeter protection solutions
Risk Group is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Knight Brothers Pty Ltd, an Australian company specialising in the design of hostile vehicle mitigation solutions for events, venues and high-risk locations to align with ANZCTC recommendations for protection of crowded places from terrorism. Knight Brothers brings cutting edge expertise to the process of risk assessments for our clients, by conducting sophisticated engineering analyses using proprietary software to deliver a properly engineered and compliant solution. This data driven engineering approach is complemented by the application of proven Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles, and careful consideration of landscape and architectural options, to design fully integrated solutions that are both effective and sensitive to the environment.
Risk Group principal Stephen Frost says; “there are many examples of entirely reactive approaches to the enduring problem of hostile vehicle management, using scores of poor-quality bollards or concrete blocks, that are generally ineffective and dramatically affect the amenity of public spaces. Rarely do these solutions flow from a critical risk analysis of vehicle dynamics by qualified professionals and Knight Brothers adds that essential element to our overarching approach to designing truly effective solutions.”
Knight Brothers principal Dr Daniel Knight says; “We welcome the partnership with Risk Group which represents a really powerful team in this emerging discipline where unfortunately, unqualified advice has resulted in some very poorly designed solutions. Risk Group’s expertise in the process of risk assessment and our technical expertise is a great match and we’re finding that this is exactly what clients need, to bring it all together in a coordinated approach.”
Crowded Places Assessment for vulnerability to terrorism
The Australian Federal Government has recently released a new strategy for protecting crowded places from terrorism. That strategy makes it clear that to build national resilience, owners and operators of crowded places have the primary responsibility for protecting their sites, including a duty of care to take steps to protect people that work, use, or visit their site from a range of foreseeable threats, including terrorism.
The success of this strategy rests on strong and sustainable partnerships across Australia between governments and the private sector to better protect crowded places. These partnerships give owners and operators access to better threat and protective security information. By accessing this information, owners and operators will be in a better position to protect their crowded places against terrorism.
Risk Group has extensive international experience in the counter terrorism space and continues to assist clients throughout Australia in conducting vulnerability assessments, risk assessments and comprehensive plans to mitigate the risk of terrorism. If you need support to understand what is required under these new guidelines or to prepare relevant plans, policies and procedures, we can assist to streamline the process and ensure your venue is properly assessed and protected.
Risk assessment for gated community in Queensland
Sanctuary Cove is a substantial gated community on the Queensland Gold Coast, that was created in 1986 and is now home to more than 3,000 residents. The $2 billion Sanctuary Cove is Australia’s leading and most successful masterplanned community, comprising two championship golf courses, a marina, a retail precinct with boutique shops and restaurants, a five-star InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, 24-hour active land and water security, and an unrivalled level of infrastructure.
Risk Group was commissioned to conduct a site-wide review and conduct risk management workshops with the senior management team as part of a new approach to management of risk. Working with a wide range of stakeholders, we prepared a risk management framework, risk registers and policy guidance as part of an all-risks approach to this iconic community.
Counter terrorism planning
Riskgroup continues its success in the analysis of risk in major events, with a particular focus on physical security and mitigation strategies for the protection of venues. We recently completed a review of Blundstone Arena in Hobart, Tasmania, and worked collaboratively with many stakeholders, including state police, to develop a counter terrorism plan. In a first for a major venue in Australia, the stragegy includes clearly defined escalation plans to ensure a swift and structured response to any changes in the threat profile for the venue or a specific event.
Riskgroup is highly regarded for its work in developing comprehensive and integrated strategic and operational plans for the security of major events.
Risk Group delivers on security plans for Cricket World Cup 2015
Cricket World Cup 2015 finished with a thrilling final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29th 2015, capping off a highly successful tournament that involved 14 teams in 49 matches across Australia and New Zealand over a six week period. The tournament was the largest sporting event in the world in 2015 and has been hailed as the best ever world cup in terms of attendance, broadcast audience and a host of other key success factors. Risk Group was engaged over a fourteen-month period to provide security risk management support, particularly during the planning phase. Our principal was embedded as lead consultant in developing the tournament security master plan, strategic framework, risk management plans and master security standards for all match venues, training venues, hotels, airports and transport arrangements. Working with a wide range of stakeholders at local, state and federal government levels, our advice extended to analysing every aspect of the tournament and developing policies, procedures and standards to mitigate risks to this iconic international event. Our work included contract management for acquisition of private security services and deployment of of more than 8,000 security staff across more than 160 separate locations. Risk Group also recruited, trained and supplied close personal protection services for all participating teams and match officials throughout the tournament and managed a network of security managers around Australia to ensure consistent service delivery. During the operational phase, Risk Group took the lead in oversight and quality assurance of security services at all matches, and ensured that the security mission that “no crime mars success of the tournament” was achieved”.
Risk Group has considerable skill and experience in the major event space and we are thrilled to have contributed to the success of this significant international event.
Managing risks in motor sports
by Stephen Frost — 10-12-2014
Motor sports in Australia’s Northern Territory is experiencing sustained growth, with thousands of fans and participants attracted to a wide variety of sports including V8 supercars, drag racing, motor cycles, speedway, moto cross and off road events. As the peak body, the Motor Sports Board NT recognises their obligations to foster a best practice approach to all events and assist affiliated clubs in maintaining minimum standards for event management, safety and good governance. The Board sought the assistance of Riskgroup to develop a risk management framework for the organisation, working with board members to identify key areas of risk and establish a process for risk mitigation at all levels. Riskgroup developed a set of standards and guides for affiliated clubs to assist them in promoting an enterprise-wide approach to risk management. Commenting on the program, MotorSports NT President Grant Hamon said, “Riskgroup has provided invaluable support in helping us to develop a sound framework for risk management that is a critical element in our push to raise standards across all of our affiliated clubs.”
Riskgroup has considerable experience in major events management and development of risk management models in this specialised area.
Risk Group provides risk assessment services for global drug manufacturer
by Stephen Frost — 10-10-2013
Hospira is the world’s leading supplier of injectable drugs and infusion technologies, with manufacturing plants around the world. The Hospira manufacturing complex in Melbourne comprises a number of buildings spread over a large site; each with specific characteristics and challenges. With oversight by the global parent company in the United States, and strict legal obligations pursuant to the Therapeutic Goods Act in Australia, Hospira must ensure that its approach to security is compliant, effective and in line with world’s best practice.
Riskgroup conducted a detailed survey of the manufacturing environment with a particular focus on physical security of the site, policies, procedures and business processes that formed part of the security management model. This work included site inspections, workshops with key individuals, discussions with security contractors and development of detailed recommendations for improved security solutions. Hospira’s warehouse and export manager, Perry MacDonald said, “The wide-ranging and detailed approach taken by Riskgroup provided us with a comprehensive and succinct assessment of security at our site. We will be using Riskgroup periodically to provide ongoing assurance in our state of preparedness.”
Riskgroup has considerable experience across a variety of industries in assessing physical security conditions, developing mitigation strategies and managing procurement and implementation.