Keith Woods opinion: Side of Westfield Helensvale centre dramas that few people see
An incident involving a group of young people has made all the wrong kind of headlines for a Gold Coast shopping centre. But there is another side to the story that few people see, writes Keith Woods.
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By now, most readers will have become aware of an incident that took place at Westfield Helensvale last Thursday.
According to police a group of six young people aged between 11 and 13 were asked to leave a shop at the centre due to their behaviour.
The group were then allegedly involved in an altercation with a 56-year-old man – believed to be a business owner.
All six of the juveniles were subsequently charged by police.
A 13-year-old Pimpama girl was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm, serious assault police and affray. Police allege she struck a police officer to the back of the head during attempts to restrain her.
A 12-year-old Upper Coomera boy was charged with affray. Both were due to appear at court on Wednesday, July 9.
An 11-year-old girl was charged with affray and assault, and three other girls aged between 11 and 13 charged with affray. All four were dealt with under provisions of the Youth Justice Act, meaning they did not have to attend court.
Unsurprisingly, in this age of smartphones, a clip showing part of the alleged incident soon surfaced.
Police and others obliged to deal with incidents in busy public places live with the knowledge their every move will likely be filmed, with the footage later analysed frame-by-frame by people with no experience of performing such tasks.
In addition, the hackles of parents of two of the children were raised, who alleged “unnecessary force” had been used by police in their response.
All of this continues to be investigated by the Queensland Police Service.
However it is but the latest incident to put a negative focus on Westfield Helensvale, which both benefits and suffers from its location beside a transport hub that is a fulcrum for trains and trams and multiple bus routes.
This column wants to relay details of a second incident that occurred just two days after Thursday’s drama. One which speaks volumes about the centre and its staff.
Two 16-year-old local girls, who were attending the centre with a parent, walked into the Woolworths supermarket to make a small purchase to go with their lunch.
The parent remained at the food court while they went to make their purchase.
At the self-serve check-outs they were stopped by three Woolworths staff members.
But not because they were the source of any trouble. The eagle-eyed staff had seen two young boys follow the girls into and around their store.
Concerned for the safety of the pair, they explained what they had witnessed and asked that they stay with them until they could summon a security guard, who could accompany them back to their car.
When the girls explained there was a parent with them in the centre, they waited with them until that parent arrived to ensure their safety.
This story reminded your columnist of two things: firstly, of what shop staff must deal with each day in busy Gold Coast centres.
Too often, these hard-working people have a difficult job, subject to abuse from unruly customers that nobody should have to put up with at their workplace.
But secondly, and most importantly, that they so often go above and beyond to ensure safe experiences for their customers.
Remember, too, security guard Johnny Whenuaroa, seriously injured in August 2023 by a young man wielding a meat cleaver after ushering a group of troublesome youths out the door.
His attacker was jailed six weeks ago after pleading guilty to 14 charges.
While there are obvious concerns about some of the people that on occasion attend Westfield Helensvale, they are very much outweighed by the hard work and dedication to customer service of its workforce.
Those three Woolworths employees are a prime example.
This column thanks and salutes them and will have no worries about shopping there again in the future.
Originally published as Keith Woods opinion: Side of Westfield Helensvale centre dramas that few people see
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