Spanner thrown as retail giant battles worker abuse
Australia’s largest hardware retailer has poured millions into tactical security at its stores in a state that lags behind others in preventing abuse against retail workers.
States and territories across the country have introduced laws toughening penalties for attacks on retail workers and other front-line staff.
Victoria moved on Friday to introduce legislation that would criminalize people who assault or threaten to assault workers in shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, shopping centres, taxis and Ubers.
The alleged crime will carry a maximum prison sentence of five years.
New laws will be introduced to parliament in April 2026 to ban troublemakers under workplace protection orders.
Bunnings chief executive Mike Schneider is hopeful it could be a “circuit breaker” to a problem plaguing the hardware giant’s Victorian stores.
“We’re finally getting there,” he told AAP.
“We have (workplace protection orders) in SA, in NSW, in Western Australia, in the ACT.
“We spend half a million dollars a month on tactical security guards in Victoria, compared to $6 million a year in those states.”
Violence and violent incidents in Bunnings stores have doubled nationally and tripled in Victoria from 2023/24 to last financial year.
A man committed 30 offenses at Bunnings, each time using an extendable baton to threaten staff and customers.
Mr Schneider attributed the larger increase in Victoria to a combination of pronounced anti-authoritarian sentiment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a legal framework that favors criminals over victims.
“It’s been under construction for a while,” he said.
“There was a shift from just sticking a screwdriver in the back of your sweater and walking out of the store to bringing a gun, using a gun, and threatening our team.”
Big W employee Tammy, who did not want her last name published, said she and her colleagues had noticed a “tremendous” increase in abuse and violence in the past few years.
Workers at the Melbourne store were subjected to sexism, racism, ageism or other forms of harassment every day.
“I’ve been kicked, spit on, punched in the past,” said the 25-year retail worker.
“It’s a constant and we’re one of the quietest stores.
“Especially during the Christmas period, this violence snowballs.”
Supermarket worker Ruth, who has worked in retail for more than 50 years, blamed inflation for encouraging bad behaviour.
“There’s been a huge increase over the last few years in people thinking they can tell us where to go because they don’t like the prices,” the Coles worker said.
He said that the COVID-19 pandemic was no picnic, but people emerged from the crisis angrier.
“He should have calmed down by now,” Ruth said.
“Once upon a time, someone coming out of the water during a blue moon was a weekly, sometimes daily, occurrence.”
The Victorian measures have been a long time coming, with Prime Minister Jacinta Allan calling the abuse of workers “unacceptable”. to put pressure on In mid-2024.
The Victorian Shop, Distributor and Allied Employees Association was “unhappy” with the pace of changes in Victoria and called on MPs to pass the bills so they can become law before Christmas.
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