13 October 2025
Quotes attributable to Michael Donovan, Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association Victorian Branch:
"The retail workers union, the SDA, welcomes the Victorian government's commitment to increase penalties and to criminalise attacks on frontline retail and fast-food workers as a first step to address customer aggression and violence.
"After years of effort by the SDA the Victorian Government is now promising to criminalise aggression against retail and fast-food workers as well as hospitality and transport workers.
"The Government will be doubling the penalty for summary offences from a maximum of three months to six months jail, mirroring the penalty for similar crimes against emergency workers. It will also be making it easier to bring cases of more serious assault to Court as indictable offences with up to five years jail.
"Our members have been suffering and the SDA welcomes this as a first step in addressing the scourge of aggression and violence against our members.
"However, the Government must also move quickly to address the next two steps as early as possible next year if this epidemic is to be reined in.
"The increase in the jail term from three month to six months is welcome. But other States have moved to at least three years or more maximum jail terms.
"The Government needs to convene a meeting of emergency workers unions and the SDA, RTBU, UWU and TWU early next year to legislate for further increases in the penalties in line with other states. Penalties need to be high enough to be a deterrent from this shocking behaviour."
"The SDA is disappointed that the government has made no commitment to legislate Workplace Protection Orders to keep repeat offenders out of shops. These orders act like AVOs and allow retailers to take serial offenders to Court for an order. A breach of the order results in a jail term.
"The evidence is that WPOs have been extremely effective in the ACT, significantly reducing the incidence of customer violence.
"If the government is serious about addressing the retail crime epidemic, introducing WPOs is a no brainer. The SDA is looking for the Victorian Government to legislate WPOs as early as possible next year.
"Our members are suffering shocking aggression and violence every day and every week. We are looking for the Victorian Government to act swiftly to address this."
Contact Jim Middleton: 0418 627066
