The Minns Labor Government is pushing to legislate Workplace Protection Orders (WPOs) to protect workers from customer abuse, with retailers applauding the move.
The orders will apply to those aged 14 and older who stalk, intimidate or engage in conduct amounting to a personal violence offence at a workplace if there are reasonable grounds to fear this behaviour will continue.
Courts will be able to make orders for the duration and with conditions deemed necessary to stop protected workers from being assaulted, threatened, stalked, harassed or intimidated. This can include banning someone from certain premises, contacting staff or possessing weapons.
A person conducting a business or undertaking under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 will be able to seek a WPO on behalf of one or more workers. Business groups, unions and health and safety representatives can also apply with authorisation from those they represent.
Breaching a WPO will be punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment, a $5,500 penalty or both.
The legislation is set to be introduced to Parliament in October, and follows consultation with employers, police, unions, government agencies and legal stakeholders.
WPOs will initially apply to retail workplaces, with the Government able to extend the scheme to cover other public-facing workplaces by regulation as needed.
The laws are expected to come into effect within 12 months of their passage to allow for education, training and justice system upgrades. They will also be subject to a statutory review after three years.
The Australian Retail Council (ARC) has strongly welcomed the new legislation move to legislate workplace protection orders, describing it as a significant step forward for the safety of frontline retail workers.
“We strongly welcome the Minns Government’s commitment to introduce workplace protection orders,” ARC CEO Chris Rodwell said. “This is a significant step forward in protecting retail workers who face unacceptable violence, threats and abuse simply for doing their jobs.”
However, Rodwell has taken issue with the 12-month runway to official launch, saying this timeframe needs to be reduced.
“Retail workers are facing violence and abuse today, and every day counts,” Rodwell said.
“We urge the Government to act with urgency and bring the laws into operation as soon as possible.”
ARC also awaits the full detail of the Bill and will look closely at whether the scheme includes urgent interim orders. The ARC took issue with Victoria’s own now-passed WPO legislation, which did not include interim banning of alleged offenders from entering retail spaces.
WPOs are accessed and approved through the courts.
“Retailers would seek workplace protection orders only in the most serious cases involving violent and abusive repeat offenders,” Rodwell said.
“A strong and effective scheme must enable courts to act quickly when a worker faces an immediate risk. Urgent interim orders would allow an offender to be barred immediately from returning to a workplace while a final order is being considered.
“That protection is already available in South Australia and the ACT, and it's working.”
According to the Minns Government, these new laws build on the work of NSW Police, who under Operation Percentile have charged more than 1,300 people, taken more than 1,550 legal actions and identified over 2,380 offences linked to more than $600,000 in stolen stock.
In 2023, the Government created three new offences for harassing, stalking or assaulting a retail worker, punishable by up to 11 years’ imprisonment.
The Government also formed a tripartite working group with SafeWork NSW, SDA and retailers to address violence and abuse against workers in the retail sector and ensure compliance.
“The Minns Labor Government has zero-tolerance for violence and abuse towards workers, and these laws have been designed to protect workers who are simply doing their jobs,” Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said.
"This legislation builds on the work we are doing to create safer workplaces for workers, including the introduction of offences for harassing, stalking or assaulting a retail worker.
"As a former retail worker myself, I want customers to take a moment to remember that the people who serve you deserve respect."
Woolworths’ head of violence prevention, Sarah Faorlin, also weighed in, welcoming the legislation.
In 2025, Woolworths team members reported over 1,400 incidents of violence and aggression in NSW, 91 of them involved an edged weapon.
“We know these laws work,” Faorlin said. “In the ACT, there has been a 92 per cent reduction in reoffending among repeat offenders subject to an order – a result that shows the real-world difference these protections are making to our team.
“But when it comes to the safety of our teams, every single day counts. We need to see these laws put in place as quickly as possible, and they must include interim orders so we can take immediate action to protect our team.”