Council of Trade Unions Media Release
23 October

Government must honour the memory of Charanpreet Dhaliwal and fix the security industry

His Honour Coroner JP Ryan has released overnight his findings and recommendations regarding the death of Charanpreet Dhaliwal, the security guard killed on his first day of work on 18 November 2011.

The CTU acted on behalf of Mr Dhaliwal’s family in the Coroners Inquest.

Jeff Sissons, CTU General Counsel, says “Charanpreet should never have been put in the situation which killed him. All his employer, CNE Security, gave Charanpreet to keep him safe was a high vis vest, a set of keys, a brief chat and a business card with a number to call if there was trouble. Less than four hours later he was dead.”

“Charanpreet’s family have been devastated by the loss of their beloved son and further traumatised by unsuccessful trials for Mr Dhaliwal’s murder and of CNE Security for failing to ensure his health and safety.”

“The Coroner has made a series of recommendations to make the security industry safer including an approved code of practice for safety in the security industry developed by WorkSafe and better training requirements. The expert witnesses called by the family asked the Coroner to make these recommendations. We are pleased that the Coroner has listened to Mr Dhaliwal’s family and the industry.”

“The CTU thanks Coroner Ryan for his work on this case and his recommendations. We intend to work with security guards, their unions, the security industry and WorkSafe to honour Charanpreet’s memory by making the industry safer. The recommendations form a good base to do so. We have spoken to WorkSafe and they have agreed to meet to discuss the next steps.”

“We particularly acknowledge the work of the Sikh Community and Helen Kelly over many years to push for justice for Charanpreet and a safer security industry.”

“A sad irony is that while the Coroner and all parties acknowledged the high risk nature of security work, this industry it has not made Minister Woodhouse’s draft list of high risk industries. A working people in a small firm like CNE Security would be unable to ask for a health and safety representative under the draft law. The CTU is also calling on the Minister to include security work in the list of high risk industries.”

ENDS

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