Yes. Queensland Government guidance describes RSA Marshals as RSA-trained staff members working with venue management, bar staff, floor staff and licensed crowd controllers to support responsible service of alcohol within licensed premises. If your duties involve serving or supplying alcohol, Queensland generally requires you to complete the nationally recognised SITHFAB021 Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol through a Registered Training Organisation and obtain a Statement of Attainment. However, RSA training does not qualify you to work as a crowd controller.

This is an important distinction. RSA training focuses on the responsible sale, service and supply of alcohol, recognising intoxication and refusing further service. It does not provide the specialist security training required for conflict management, risk assessment, de-escalation, removal of persons and other crowd-control functions. The Security Providers Association of Australia (SPAAL) has made a formal submission to the Queensland Attorney-General seeking clearer boundaries around the RSA Marshal role. SPAAL's position is that RSA Marshals should remain focused on legitimate RSA functions such as observing alcohol consumption, identifying early signs of intoxication and communicating concerns to management or licensed security personnel.

If an RSA Marshal's actual duties extend into monitoring or controlling aggressive or disorderly behaviour, directing patrons to leave, participating in evictions or physically removing patrons, the person may be performing work requiring the appropriate Queensland security licence and crowd-controller training. So remember: having RSA training does not make you a licensed crowd controller, and calling a position “RSA Marshal” does not allow an employer to use an unlicensed person to perform regulated security work.