A safe workplace isn’t a luxury, it’s a right.
For too long, retail and fast food workers have faced abuse, intimidation and violence simply for doing their jobs.
That is why the SDA’s Ban Aggressive Customers campaign has focused on securing stronger protections for frontline workers, including the introduction of Workplace Protection Orders (WPOs).
In July, SDA Delegates and Officials stood alongside Premier Ben Carroll as the Victorian Government announced legislation to establish a Workplace Protection Order scheme. The announcement marked a significant milestone in a campaign that SDA members had driven for more than 12 months, and Parliament has now passed the legislation.
A safe workplace isn’t a luxury, it’s a right.
For too long, retail and fast food workers have faced abuse, intimidation and violence simply for doing their jobs.
That is why the SDA’s Ban Aggressive Customers campaign has focused on securing stronger protections for frontline workers, including the introduction of Workplace Protection Orders (WPOs).
In July, SDA Delegates and Officials stood alongside Premier Ben Carroll as the Victorian Government announced legislation to establish a Workplace Protection Order scheme. The announcement marked a significant milestone in a campaign that SDA members had driven for more than 12 months, and Parliament has now passed the legislation.
The SDA has consistently argued that stronger penalties alone are not enough.
While tougher penalties for assaults against retail and fast food workers were an important step forward, workers also need practical tools that stop repeat offenders from returning to workplaces.
That is exactly what Workplace Protection Orders are designed to do.
The new scheme will allow unions, retail operators and transport operators to apply for court orders banning individuals from workplaces where they have assaulted, threatened, intimidated or repeatedly abused workers. Similar schemes already operate in other Australian jurisdictions.
The SDA has consistently argued that stronger penalties alone are not enough.
While tougher penalties for assaults against retail and fast food workers were an important step forward, workers also need practical tools that stop repeat offenders from returning to workplaces.
That is exactly what Workplace Protection Orders are designed to do.
The new scheme will allow unions, retail operators and transport operators to apply for court orders banning individuals from workplaces where they have assaulted, threatened, intimidated or repeatedly abused workers. Similar schemes already operate in other Australian jurisdictions.
The need for action has never been clearer.
The SDA’s 2025 No One Deserves A Serve survey revealed alarming levels of abuse experienced by retail and fast food workers.
Nearly 3,000 members responded, with 88 per cent reporting verbal abuse, 25 per cent reporting physical assault and 59 per cent saying they had been abused by the same customer on more than one occasion.
These findings confirm what members have been telling the SDA for years: repeat offenders are a major driver of workplace violence and abuse.
Workplace Protection Orders directly address this problem by providing a mechanism to remove high-risk individuals from workplaces before their behaviour escalates further, with orders able to remain in place for up to 12 months.
SDA Secretary Michael Donovan welcomed Parliament’s passage of the legislation, describing WPOs as a missing tool in the fight against rising customer abuse and violence.
“The SDA and its members welcome the priority the Premier is giving to the safety of frontline retail and fast food workers,” Mr Donovan said.
“Workers have been subjected to torrents of abuse and violence by repeat offenders. The SDA has been lobbying hard for more than twelve months for legislation implementing Workplace Protection Orders to stop these offenders.”
While the SDA strongly supports the legislation, there remains an important challenge.
The Government has listened to SDA calls to bring forward the start date, with the scheme now scheduled to commence on 1 March 2027 instead of July.
That is an important improvement, but workers facing abuse and intimidation every day are still waiting for these protections to take effect.
The SDA believes workers deserve these protections as soon as possible and will continue advocating for their implementation.
WPOs must be easy to access, provide meaningful protection for workers and deliver real consequences when offenders breach orders, including penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment and fines exceeding $50,000.
The legislation also includes a commitment to review the operation of the scheme after commencement, providing an opportunity to assess how the orders are working in practice.
The passage of Workplace Protection Orders legislation is a major victory for SDA members and Delegates who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue. The goal remains clear: safer workplaces, stronger protections and an end to the abuse and violence faced by retail and fast food workers.
The SDA believes workers deserve these protections as soon as possible and will continue advocating for their implementation.
WPOs must be easy to access, provide meaningful protection for workers and deliver real consequences when offenders breach orders, including penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment and fines exceeding $50,000.
The legislation also includes a commitment to review the operation of the scheme after commencement, providing an opportunity to assess how the orders are working in practice.
The passage of Workplace Protection Orders legislation is a major victory for SDA members and Delegates who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue. The goal remains clear: safer workplaces, stronger protections and an end to the abuse and violence faced by retail and fast food workers.
