The Australian Retail Council (ARC) is continuing its push for Tasmania to implement Workplace Protection Orders (WPO), going so far as to reveal that one national retailer has recorded more than 30 incidents of occupational violence and aggression across its store network in the state over the last two years.
The retail peak body shared this in its submission to the Tasmanian Government.
The ARC did not name the specific retailer, but said the incidents occurred between February 2024 and June 2026, across Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and numerous suburban and regional locations.
“They ranged from verbal abuse and intimidation to serious threats, property damage and incidents requiring police attendance,” the ARC’s submission read.
This comes more than a month after the Tasmanian Government declared it will introduce WPOs. Attorney-General Guy Barnett said the proposed scheme will enable businesses to apply to a court or tribunal for an order against an individual who has engaged in personal violence, expanding from existing tools such as trespass notices and police move-on powers.
The ARC strongly supports the introduction of WPOs in Tasmania, but has listed six recommendations to strengthen the policy. This includes making the application process employer-led and accessible, making them apply across multiple locations, expanding coverage to youth offenders, and allowing interim orders during the court process.
“Employers should control applications, with employer associations, premise owners, shopping centre managers and other representatives able to act only where formally authorised by the employer,” the submission read.
“Tasmania Police should be able to support applications and provide evidence. The process must be simple, affordable and workable for businesses without dedicated legal or security resources.”
According to the ARC, retail workers across the country are facing aggression, threats, intimidation, abuse and violence in publicly accessible workplaces.
“Member experience shows that this conduct occurs across metropolitan, suburban and regional locations and is often driven by a relatively small cohort of repeat offenders,” the ARC submission added. “The same individuals may return to a workplace, target different workers or move between nearby outlets, creating an ongoing risk that existing controls do not always address
The ARC also noted that retailers already invest in CCTV, security personnel, staff training, duress systems, banning notices, service refusals and incident-management procedures. “These measures reduce risk but do not create a clear, enforceable mechanism to exclude a known repeat offender.
“A WPO scheme would address this significant gap by providing a court-based mechanism to exclude known high-risk individuals and a clear basis for police action where an order is breached. It should complement existing criminal offences, restraint orders, police powers and retailer safety controls by enabling protection before further criminal conduct occurs.”