Victoria Joins Movement to Combat Customer Abuse: The Customer Isn’t Always Right
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has unveiled a plan to introduce new legislation aimed at discouraging customer abuse towards retail, public transport, and fast food workers in Australia.
The proposed laws by the Victorian government will provide protection to customer service workers from abuse and assault, as announced by Premier Jacinta Allan on May 18. The Labor government intends to amend the law to address the unacceptable nature of attacks on these workers.
“These workers deserve nothing but our respect. And we’re going to help make sure they get it,” Ms. Allan stated in a media release.
The legislation seeks to send a clear message that assaulting or abusing these workers will not be tolerated and offenders will face consequences.
Is the Change Needed?
A survey conducted by the Shop, Distributive, and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) in 2023 revealed that a significant number of customer service workers experienced regular abuse from customers, leading to physical and mental health impacts.
The survey of 4,200 workers found that 87 percent had faced verbal abuse from customers in the past year, with additional reports of physical violence, spitting, and sexual abuse.
Repeat offenders were identified as a problem, with 76 percent of those verbally abused experiencing such incidents on a frequent basis. The survey also highlighted the mental and physical health consequences faced by these workers.
Enacting the Change
The government plans to establish a Worker Protection Consultation Group to oversee the development of the new legislative approach. The group aims to ensure a balanced approach by involving a diverse range of stakeholders.
Proposed measures include introducing new penalties, expanding existing laws, and providing protections against stalking and harassment of customer service workers.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes expressed disappointment in the need for legislation to address such behaviors, emphasizing the importance of ensuring a safe work environment for all.
The Worker Protection Consultation Group intends to present a Bill to Parliament by the end of 2025.
Response of Australian Retail Association
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA), representing over 1.4 million Australians, welcomed the proposed legislative reforms by the Victorian government.
The ARA noted that these reforms align Victoria with other states that have taken steps to address increasing customer hostility towards retail workers.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra called on other states like Queensland, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory to follow Victoria’s lead in protecting retail workers.
Mr. Zahra emphasized that all retail workers have the right to a safe work environment and commended the government for addressing the needs of retail staff to prevent violence.
Other States’ Laws to Protect Customer Service Workers
Laws to safeguard customer service workers extend beyond Victoria, with states like New South Wales, Western Australia, Northern Territory, and South Australia also enacting legislation reforms to protect workers from abuse and assault.
Following the 2023 SDA survey, NSW passed a bill creating new offences with severe penalties for those assaulting retail workers. Similarly, WA introduced new laws in 2024 targeting violent offenders assaulting retail workers.
The reforms aim to curb such behaviors and ensure the safety and well-being of customer service workers across various industries.
