Crowd Control Course (Australia): Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: What crowd controllers do

Crowd controllers keep order where people gather. In Queensland the work includes screening people as they enter, monitoring or controlling behaviour, and removing people who behave badly. It covers places like hotels, clubs, sporting events, restaurants and shopping centres.

Victoria: a crowd controller is employed to maintain order at a public place. Someone whose only job is to check tickets, payment or passes is not doing crowd control.
Queensland: ushers, pool and beach lifeguards, and council or state government employees do not need the licence.
NSW: crowd control is covered by the 1A Security Officer licence.
WA: crowd controllers, sometimes called bouncers or door staff, need a crowd controller licence.

Licence training is the Certificate II in Security Operations. Its units include CPPSEC2108 Screen people, effects and items, CPPSEC2110 Monitor and control individual and crowd behaviour, CPPSEC2111 Apply security procedures to manage intoxicated persons, and CPPSEC2112 Apply security procedures to remove persons from premises.

Lesson 2: ID, equipment and conduct

The public must be able to identify crowd controllers. The rules differ by place.

Place	ID rule for crowd controllers
Queensland	ID attached to your clothes at chest level, not an armband or lanyard. It shows SECURITY and a unique number in black on white. Your uniform must not look too like a police uniform.
Tasmanien	An identity number card issued by your employer before you start, worn on the chest on the outside of your clothes. It shows a number at least 3 cm high and the word SECURITY. You must also carry your licence.
NT	A number attached to your clothing that the public can see.

A Queensland crowd controller licence does not authorise firearms, handcuffs or batons. In WA, crowd controllers may not carry any weapon while doing crowd control.

Treat everyone with respect. Venues may refuse entry, but refusals must not be discriminatory, for example because of race.

Lesson 3: Refusing entry and removing people

NSW: Liquor Act 2007, section 77

An authorised person, which includes the licensee, an employee, an agent such as security, or a police officer, may refuse entry to or remove a person who is intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome or disorderly. Other grounds include smoking in a smoke-free area and using or having a suspected illegal drug.

Ask the person to leave. The offence of failing to leave only applies if they were asked.
Tell them who you are, why they must leave, and the rules below.
A removed person must not re-enter the venue for 24 hours.
They must not stay within 50 metres of the venue for 6 hours, unless they have a reasonable excuse, such as waiting for transport, living nearby or fearing for their safety.
If they refuse, call police. Police can turn them out, or help to do so, and may use reasonable force.
Record the incident in the venue's incident register.

Victoria: barring orders

A licensee, venue manager or police officer can give a barring order in writing, using the official booklet. The person must leave at once and stay at least 20 metres from the venue until the order ends. Licensees must keep a record of every barring order.

Queensland and WA

In Queensland, the licensee or permittee, or their employee or agent, may refuse entry to a person who is unduly intoxicated or disorderly, and may use necessary and reasonable force to stop them entering. In WA, a crowd controller needs the licensee's, occupier's or manager's written authorisation before removing someone from licensed premises.

Lesson 4: Keeping event crowds safe

Large crowds can become dangerous quickly. The Victorian Guidelines for Planning Safe Public Events give practical advice:

Watch crowd density. Above six people per square metre, people often lose control and fall or are lifted off the ground.
A crowd can only move as fast as its slowest person.
Stop entries and exits becoming overwhelmed, and move people on so they do not block them. Where one gate is both an entry and an exit, there must be enough crowd controllers.
At the stage front, have at least one crowd controller per metre of stage. Stop people climbing on stage and help injured people out of the crowd.
Be briefed immediately before each event and know the emergency plan, including who can order an evacuation.

As a rough guide for low-risk events only, licensed events should have at least two crowd controllers for the first 100 patrons, then one for each extra 100. Lower-risk events normally use one per 200.

Lesson 5: Intoxicated patrons, health and records

Queensland's Liquor Act says a person is unduly intoxicated if their speech, balance, coordination or behaviour is noticeably affected, and there are reasonable grounds to believe this is from alcohol or drugs. Some medical conditions can look like intoxication, so ask respectfully.

Caring for an intoxicated patron (NSW guidance)

Stop serving them alcohol.
Move them to a quiet, well-lit area away from the bar.
Have a staff member watch them, or check at least every 10 to 15 minutes.
Call police or emergency services on 000 if needed, for example if they are unconscious or very unwell.

If a drink may have been spiked, tell first aid, medical staff, security or management straight away. Take distressed patrons to first aid and protect their privacy.

Records

NSW venues record intoxication incidents in an approved incident register, including the actions taken and when the person left. In WA, the licensee's register must record events such as refusing entry, removing a person and injuries, with the names of the crowd controllers present.