Kia ora and welcome to the December 2024 – January 2025 issue of New Zealand Security Magazine! It’s that time of the year again when gift giving is in the air and we flex our collective consumer muscles at shopping malls across Aotearoa. This edition of NZSM is, of course, our annual retail issue.
As always, a big thanks to our wonderful advertisers. Our advertisers play an important role within New Zealand’s security sector by contributing to a vibrant and informed security sector through their sponsorship of the magazine.
Our advertisers are part of a legacy that began in 1994 with the first ever edition of New Zealand Security Magazine. With this issue we celebrate our 30th anniversary and acknowledge the vision of publisher Craig Flint who has steered NZSM through good times and bad over the past three decades, all the while ensuring the magazine has stayed relevant and respected as Aotearoa’s trusted source of security news and views.
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In an era of online clickbait and media industry consolidation and internationalisation, the longevity of local trade publications such as NZSM is less assured than ever. Yet here we are, punching above our weight with our gaze firmly on the future.
I’ve been lucky enough to edit the magazine over 10 of its 30 years, and I’d like to take this opportunity to recognise Craig as an unsung dead-set legend of our industry, a most generous and forgiving colleague, and a friend.
A big issue in retail security since COVID has been the widely reported increases in retail crime, theft, and antisocial behaviours towards retail workers. Ram raids and smash-and-grabs for a good while clogged our news feeds, and a Ministerial Advisory Group has been set up to offer solutions.
Facial recognition CCTV has been touted as an answer to recidivism in retail crime, with Foodstuffs North Island having recently conducted a trail of FRT in some of its stores. Far from being a silver bullet, a recent determination by Australia’s privacy commissioner on the deployment of FRT in Bunnings stores suggests that facial recognition is more of a sledgehammer.
“Facial recognition technology may have been an efficient and cost effective option available to Bunnings at the time in its well-intentioned efforts to address unlawful activity, which included incidents of violence and aggression,” said Commissioner Carly Kind. “However, just because a technology may be helpful or convenient, does not mean its use is justifiable.
According to Commissioner Kind, deploying facial recognition technology “was the most intrusive option, disproportionately interfering with the privacy of everyone who entered its stores, not just high-risk individuals.”
Many retailers are understandably uncomfortable about the idea of FRT as a security measure. While the collection of individuals’ biometric facial data at international airports and in certain other use cases appears to enjoy widespread public acceptance, the deployment of FRT in retail settings does not. More on this topic inside.
Season’s greetings from the NZSM team, and here’s to a fantastic 2025!
Nicholas Dynon, Auckland
