Karratha City Plaza manager welcomes new two-year shop ban laws for offenders who assault or threaten staff

The manager of Karratha’s main shopping centre has welcomed new legislation which could have offenders who assault or threaten retail workers banned from entering stores for up to two years. New laws to be introduced by the Cook Government will seek to introduce retail barring orders, in an effort to curb the rising number of assaults on workers. Karratha City Plaza centre manager Melanie Garbin said the proposed new laws were a “sensible” approach to protect retailers, store employees and owners. “(We have) sporadic incidences, but not a frequent as other centres in the North West,” she said. “We will provide support for any retailer seeking a retail barring order as their safety is paramount. “(It) would be interesting to see what the WA Government intends for repeat juvenile offenders who undertake shop lifting.” The WA Premier said the new laws aimed to ensure West Australians felt safe at work and in the community. “No one deserves to come to work and to be assaulted, abused, mistreated, simply because they’re doing their job,” Roger Cook said. “These laws are about making sure that we can exclude people from a retail environment or a specific place in the event that a complaint is brought against them, and that complaint has been substantiated.” The West Australian reported pleas from some of the nation’s biggest retailers for the legislation to be fast-tracked amid sky-rocketing theft and antisocial behaviour. Latest Australian Retailers Association data shows that since July last year serious incidents in WA had increased by 36 per cent and threatening behaviour by 48 per cent. Both rates are higher than the national averages of 30 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively. WA’s retail barring orders would be managed as a civil matter and operate in a similar way to restraining orders. An employer, union official or shopping centre could make an application to a magistrate to have a person banned from their premises. Attorney-General Tony Buti said a person wouldn’t need to have a criminal prosecution brought against them before an application for an order could be made. It would be up to the court to determine whether there were reasonable grounds to believe the person will, or is likely to, commit further violence. “If you breach the retail barring order that is also a criminal offence and for serious and persistent breaches of the retail barring orders that can lead to a maximum five years imprisonment,” Dr Buti said. Magistrates would have discretion to allow people to access a particular store for essential services or food, such as in country areas where access to an alternative outlet was limited, he said. “There may be an arrangement made whereby the essential services, essential products, are delivered to their home,” Mr Buti said. The ACT is the only jurisdiction with such legislation in place. South Australia is also looking to introduce similar laws. Australian Bureau of Statistics on retail crime are also sobering. They revealed retail thefts rose to a 21-year high last year. Police recorded 268,666 incidents at retail locations nationally in 2024.