Coronavirus: police probe iso hotel security firm

A private security firm involved in the bungled Victorian quarantine scheme is under investigation by the NSW Police Force’s security licensing directorate.

David Millward. Picture: Simon Chillingworth

One of three private security firms involved in the bungled Victorian quarantine scheme — and now contracted for similar work in Sydney — is being investigated by the NSW Police Force’s security licensing directorate and faces possible loss of its master security licence.

NSW police confirmed the move after an investigation by The Australian had found Unified Security was awarded large contracts by the NSW government despite being linked to a string of failed ventures that have gone bankrupt owing taxpayers millions of dollars.

NSW police said following extensive inquiries into undeclared changes of ownership and close associates to the business, proceedings had been commenced that may see its licence revoked.

“The NSW police and partner agencies are also taking appropriate steps to ensure this action does not impact on the delivery of operations to the hotel quarantine program,” a spokeswoman said.

The Victorian government has paid $30m to Unified Security for its work across Melbourne’s hotel quarantine scheme, the failure of which is largely blamed for the state’s second COVID-19 wave that resulted in 800 deaths and weeks of strict restrictions.

Unified was selected to provide guards despite it not being a preferred Victorian government supplier and even though past companies linked to the two men behind the business — David Millward and Luigi Trunzo — have collapsed owing millions in unpaid taxes.

Mr Millward and Mr Trunzo have been linked to at least 41 different corporate entities over the years. Mr Trunzo served as director of one business that traded as Unified before changing its name to USS Risk, changing its board, and collapsing into insolvency owing $4.5m.

When it collapsed in 2016, the business owed $4.5m to the Office of State Revenue, now known as Revenue NSW, in payroll tax unpaid since 2009.

Mr Trunzo was director from 2007 until 2015.

In a March 2018 letter to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, administrators Hall Chadwick said their investigations “indicate that the company may have traded whilst insolvent”.

The corporate regulator declined to take further action.

In a separate December 2016 creditors meeting, Revenue NSW adviser David Rousseau said the agency was “aware of another ‘Unified Security Group’ ” and asked whether the liquidators were aware of this, noting “there are a number of security groups going through liquidation and there appears to be a trend … this is of particular interest to (the Office of State Revenue)”.

Hall Chadwick partner David Ingram said he would investigate those concerns, “focusing on potential phoenix activity, any transfer of assets and group activity,” meeting minutes show.

Unified was first made a preferred supplier for the NSW government in 2012 but relisted in 2016. USS Risk was not the only business related to Unified to go under owing taxpayers.

A company in which Mr Millward was both the sole owner and director — Yendy’s Manpower — was placed into administration in October 2018 owing Revenue NSW $1.56m.

Another entity owned and directly by Mr Millward — Guards Plus Security Australia — went into liquidation owing $2.7m in February 2018.

Documents lodged with the regulator by administrators Mackay Goodwin show the Australian Taxation Office claimed it was owed more than $640,000

Despite the repeated failures of businesses connected to Mr Millward and Mr Trunzo, companies linked to the two men continue to garner contracts.

Unified has provided COVID-19 marshalling response and support teams across Sydney’s bus network starting in May, having previously worked with Transport NSW since 2012.

Details of the company’s involvement in the Sydney hotel quarantine program have not been made public by the NSW government, despite requests from The Australian.

However, Unified’s operations in Sydney have not gone without incident.

In August, Unified guard Asad Niaz, who worked at hotel quarantine and contracted COVID-19, breached isolation ­orders repeatedly while waiting for the results of a test.

In Melbourne, one guard at Rydges – who tested positive to the coronavirus — reported being instructed to stash used gloves and masks so the equipment could be reused. The guard, known as ­Security 16, said he was recruited via WhatsApp to work for a Unified subcontractor.

Mr Millward, in his submissions to the inquiry, said Unified sourced its protective equipment in NSW and that he repeatedly drove from Sydney to Melbourne to deliver supplies.

The guard also made four food deliveries while awaiting test results, telling the inquiry he “was getting bored at my house” while waiting.

A Unified spokesman told The Australian on Thursday that the company “liaises with NSW police … about operational matters on a regular basis”.

Mr Millward in 2011 was arrested over an incident described by NSW police as “organised intimidation” after 20 men forced their way into the Shore Club in Manly and Mr Millward was alleged to have threatened the club’s owner, Alex Said.

Mr Said, who was overseas, failed to appear at court and the judge ruled there was no evidence to support the charges.