“Our plan will deliver immediate protections, tougher penalties and faster justice to keep workers and shoppers safe.”
The opposition also claims data provided under freedom of information proves that the PSO network is already stretched.
That document, released to opposition victims support spokesman Nick McGowan, shows that from January 1, 2024 to June 28, 2025 there were 96 times when Heathmont railway station had no PSO coverage.
“Labor is using the retail crime crisis to cover up their PSO shortage,” McGowan said. “The reality is they don’t have the police or PSO numbers to keep commuters or retailers safe.”
The Allan government has been pressured for months by unions and business groups to deliver further measures addressing retail crime.
Loading
Labor responded on Friday with initiatives including new protections for abuse of transport, retail and hospitality workers and a commitment to introduce protection orders, like a personal safety order but for an entire workplace, that would allow retailers to ban aggressive or abusive customers.
In its policy offering, the Coalition has also sought to give the sector everything it asked for while expanding the PSO network and their powers.
A Battin government would also create a new offence for assaulting, threatening or harassing customer-facing workers and ban abusive or violent people from shops or from contacting staff.
The Coalition also promised to set up a digital platform on which staff and employers could report abuse, upload evidence and apply directly through police for a workplace protection order.
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said retail workers were being abused every day at work.
“We will crack down on retail crime because we are tougher on crime and smarter on justice than Labor,” he said.
“We cannot arrest our way out of this problem, so we will give young people pathways out of crime and provide programs that steer them towards education, work and opportunity.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Read the full article here
