Security fence
Tuesday 11 June 2024, the Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, tabled the 2024-25 Queensland State Budget in Parliament.
To the complete surprise of all staff and students at Indooroopilly State High School and the parents who volunteer on the School Council or P&C Association, the budget included a capital line item for a $1,209,000 security fence to be erected around the school grounds in 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trigger for the budget. What was the reason the state budget was allocated for a security fence at this school?
The Department’s School Security Program aims to minimise incidents of arson, vandalism and theft through targeted delivery of security strategies, including the School Watch Program, partnerships with the Queensland Police Service and Protective Services, and field-based School Security Advisors (SSAs). Security fencing is installed on a priority basis to schools with an extreme security risk rating. Every Queensland state school has its security risk rating reviewed annually based on information from reported security incidents. A school’s security risk rating is determined by taking into account the type and frequency of reported incidents, including vandalism, disruptions to school operations and the cost of these incidents over two financial years. These factors have varying levels of influence on the overall risk rating.
Rationale for a fence. Why is a fence the best way to solve this problem for Indro State High School? Can you show us that a security fence at Indro High will work to solve the problem? Can you share any data showing the reduction of incidents in schools they have previously installed a similar security fence? Why is the budget being allocated to a fence and not increased security camera coverage?
Increased vigilance of our schools, and the installation of school security fences in identified risk areas, have made a significant positive influence on the department’s mitigation strategy for vandalism and break and enter incidents. Schools where security fencing has been installed and the school takes proactive steps to manage unauthorised access by securing the school perimeter see a significant reduction in arson, vandalism, theft and unauthorised persons on site both during and after school hours. Security fencing is very effective as a deterrent to reduce the likelihood of opportunistic offences taking place. Closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) can also act as a deterrent if combined with signage and a community awareness campaign, however much of their value lies in capturing offences after they have taken place for the purposes of investigation and prosecution.
If the fence was to be installed. Where would it be installed? What would it look like? When would it be installed?
As part of the scoping works, the school would be consulted as to the exact location of the fence and a detailed scope of works will be produced. The fence will be constructed and installed in line with the department’s Security fencing specification. This document contains images depicting standard installations which may be useful. Construction would be required to be commenced, and ideally completed prior to 30 June 2025. The Principal will be provided with a detailed Fencing Project Management Plan detailing the scope of the works. Click the hyperlink below to read the 'Department of Education Security Fence Specification' document.
https://qed.qld.gov.au/our-publications/standards/Documents/design/fencing-specification.pdf
If the community voices a strong "no" for the fence, what happens in a year or two, if the triggers reoccur? Can we ask for one later?
As noted above, security fencing funded from the School Security Program budget is allocated based on school security risk ratings which are recalculated each year based on incident data over the preceding two years. Should ISHS decline funding at this time, the program will utilise this budget allocation to provide a fence to the next rated school within the extreme risk category. There is no guarantee that ISHS will qualify for funding in future years as funding for the School Security Program is determined on an annual basis with no guarantees as to budget available for future financial years.
How is the ongoing maintenance reflected into the school's operating budget? Presumably this would be a lot of metres of fence to paint, fix and de-graffiti.
The school will be provided with security fencing maintenance guidelines and ongoing maintenance of security fencing is the responsibility of the school to manage, noting that the Security fencing specification has strict conditions for the quality and installation of products used, meaning fences are designed to stay in working condition for approximately 10 years, and any maintenance should be equivalent to requirements of the school’s existing fence. It is anticipated that costs associated with vandalism of school property, infrastructure and security alarm response will reduce as a result of the security fencing installation.
Which other local stakeholders are you engaging with, to determine the best course of action for the local community?
In developing a scope of works for security fencing: A boundary survey was conducted during the planning stages of the project, to make sure any new fencing installed will be within the boundary lines of Department-owned land. The fence is designed so that no existing residential fence lines will not be affected, and the security fence is installed adjacent to existing fence lines, so as not to impact neighbouring properties. School principals will typically notify neighbouring residents of planned fencing work, and may provide further updates once a contract has been awarded and the commencement date for construction has been confirmed.
Feedback
If you would like to share your experiences of the security fence impacts at Indorropilly State High School, please click the hyperlink below and send an email message to the President of our P&C Association.