Yes. The Queensland Office of Fair Trading (OFT) can request further information or documents when assessing your security licence application. Section 10(5) of the Security Providers Act 1993 specifically allows OFT to make this request and provide you with at least 28 days to respond. If you do not respond without a reasonable excuse, your application can be treated as withdrawn.

If your criminal history or other information raises concerns, OFT may also require you to provide information addressing whether you are an “appropriate person” to hold a security provider licence. Section 11 requires OFT to consider matters including recorded convictions, relevant unrecorded findings of guilt, dishonesty or lack of integrity, public safety and the public interest. A recorded conviction for a disqualifying offence within the previous 10 years will prevent a person from being considered appropriate under the Act. If you receive this type of correspondence, don't panic – and don't ignore it.

BARS Training Australia provides pro bono advocacy assistance to our students who experience difficulties with their initial security licence application. We can help you understand what OFT is asking, assist you to prepare an appropriate response and provide relevant training information where required. Our objective isn't simply to train you and hand you a certificate.

We want to help you progress through licensing and into employment – and you can't work as a security provider without the appropriate licence. If one of our students encounters a genuine licensing problem, we're all in.