Workers and their unions have had their calls for protection answered with the Victorian Government introducing The Crimes Amendment (Retail, Fast Food, Hospitality and Transport Worker Harm) Bill 2025 to impose higher penalties on perpetrators of violence and aggression on staff in the retail, fast-food, hospitality and transport industries.
Activism from the ACTU, RTBU, TWU and SDA helped to highlight the need to better protect workers from customer abuse and violence. Workers have reported dramatic increases in abuse, harassment and intimidation from members of the public over recent years. To date there have been few consequences for offenders, and little help or support from employers, with workers being left to manage the fall-out of incidents alone.
The Bill was introduced to parliament last Friday, with the Government hoping to have the laws in effect by next month. The bill proposes that assaulting or threatening to assault workers in retail, hospitality, fast food or transport will carry a five-year maximum jail term as a penalty. Verbal threats and intimidation will also carry a penalty of up to six months behind bars, with the new laws covering front and back-of-house retail staff, delivery drivers and rideshare drivers. The laws will also amend the classification of ram raids to be included in the aggravated burglary category, carrying a 25-year maximum sentence.
Premier Jacinta Allan says, “These workers deserve nothing but our respect, and we’re going to help make sure they get it. These new laws will send a powerful message: if you think you can get away with assaulting or abusing these workers — you’re wrong, and you will face the consequences.”
TWU organiser Sam Lynch said, “It’s disgraceful what our members have to put up with every day,” and “If you assault a bus driver, if you assault a gig worker, if you assault a worker, then you deserve to go to jail, and we hope that these reforms are going to give life to that.”
Workplace Protection Orders against violent individuals — like a personal safety order but for a whole workplace — are also planned to be introduced to parliament next year. Nationally consistent workplace protection order (WPO) schemes are likely to follow, with Australia’s chief law officers agreeing to monitor and act on the country’s “strongest” workplace protection order regime.
Read more: TWU Vic/Tas | Tough new laws to protect transport workers - SDA Vic | Tougher penalties for abusive customers