The Allan government in Victoria is set to table new legislation that strengthens penalties for assaults, abuse and harassment against retail workers, with retailers applauding the move.
The new rules include a prison sentence of up to five years for assaulting or threatening to assault any staff member in hospitality, retail, fast food or transport – both front of house and back of house, and delivery and rideshare drivers.
Those who verbally threaten or intimidate staff can face up to six months in jail.
The classification of ram raids will also be amended to fit in the aggravated burglary category, which will carry a 25-year maximum sentence.
Premier Jacinta Allan also confirmed on ABC News Breakfast that it will table Workplace Protection Orders in the new year to parliament. These orders act similarly to an apprehended violence order (AVO), with violent individuals banned from particular workplaces.
This follows ongoing calls for a crackdown on rising retail crime from the Victorian community over the last year.
Premier Jacinta Allan announced these new rules in May last year, noting they will be tabled in parliament in late 2025. In that time, retail crime has spiked in the state.
Data released two months ago by the Victorian Government’s Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) showed that recorded retail crime offences in the state jumped 20 per cent in the year ending June 30, 2025.
This was from 82,748 recorded incidences to 99,114, and is currently the highest level of retail crime in a decade, making retail the third-highest location for crime after private dwellings and streets/footpaths.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and National Retail Association (NRA) welcome the Victorian Government’s commitment to the “long-awaited” new laws and have urged the government to act quickly.
“It’s encouraging that Victoria has finally acted on the concerns retailers have been raising for two years — that the levels of violence, theft and abuse are out of control and unacceptable,” ARA CEO Chris Rodwell said. “It's critical to the people working across the retail sector that these vital laws are passed and enforced without delay.”
NSW, WA, SA, QLD, TAS and NT have all passed laws strengthening penalties for assaults on frontline or retail workers.
While South Australia and the ACT have introduced Workplace Protection Orders, the ARA and NRA think Victoria continues to lag behind in this area.
“With 10 per cent of the offenders committing 60 per cent of the crimes, we need effective measures to stop high-harm, repeat offenders, who continue to harm the same workers repeatedly,” Rodwell said.
“Workplace Protection Orders are a proven model to deal with these offenders and are operating right now in other jurisdictions. Victoria doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel — it can act urgently.”
Research commissioned by the ARA and NRA, released on October 30, found that 79 per cent of Victorians are concerned about rising crime levels, and 89 per cent support stronger penalties for offenders who threaten or assault retail workers.
Retail crime incidents in Victoria have surged more than 20 per cent in the past year alone, with the state now accounting for around one-third of all reported incidents nationwide.
Rodwell said Victoria must follow the lead of NSW and South Australia by establishing a dedicated police unit to tackle retail crime, rather than relying on a partial response through existing Protective Service Officer (PSO) duties.
“Retail crime in Victoria isn’t just rising — it’s reached crisis proportions,” Rodwell said. “Every day, retail workers are being spat on, punched, threatened and abused simply for doing their jobs. While this commitment is welcome, there’s room for additional measures.
“Without targeted enforcement and resourcing, the problem won’t change on the ground.”