Aussie retailers call for urgent action on knife laws to curb increase in retail crime

Aussie retailers say workers are living in fear and worry another mass stabbing like the one that claimed six lives at a Westfield in Sydney will happen again unless authorities make these crucial changes.

The nation’s retailers are calling for a uniform approach to knife laws in a bid to crack down on soaring rates of violent retail crime that is costing the sector billions.

It comes as it can be revealed that criminals use blades and knives in half of all incidents of retail offending that involve a weapon, according to new data from retail crime intelligence software company Auror.

The National Retail Association and the Australian Retailers Association are urging state and territory governments to jointly develop a timeline for the introduction of laws to protect retail workers.

This includes restricting the sale of knives, machetes and blades as well as slashing red tape around wanding, which is the use of a handheld device to detect concealed weapons.

Christine Smith was assaulted by a shoplifter while working at a Kmart in Campbelltown, Melbourne. Picture: supplied

National Retail Association interim chief executive officer Lindsay Carroll called on state and territory governments to take action to stop criminals from using knives to intimidate retail workers.

“Frankly retail employees should never have to fear for their safety simply for doing or because of their jobs,” she said.

“We know criminals have become bolder and the system needs to change fundamentally.

“We know from the Bondi incident and others that it’s not always just an intimidation tactic – people can lose their lives.”

Joel Cauchi killed six people and injured 12 others during a stabbing rampage at Westfield in Bondi Junction on April 13 in 2024. Picture: 9 NEWS

Queensland drifter Joel Cauchi killed six people and injured 12 others during a stabbing rampage at Westfield in Bondi Junction on April 13 in 2024.

Since 2024 retail crime incidents involving weapons have jumped by 66 per cent and attacks using knives and blades have increased by 40 per cent, according to Auror.

Australian Retailers Association Chief Industry Affairs Officer Fleur Brown says workers are living in fear.

Australian Retailers Association Chief Industry Affairs Officer Fleur Brown said workers were living in fear after enduring violence, intimidation and harassment.

“It’s been consistently awful for retail workers to be frank in recent years when it comes to dealing with retail crime,” she said.

“And not just the crime itself, but the apprehension around the crime.”

“Retail workers have been on the frontline of some of this activity above and beyond their normal job. It’s not a reasonable thing to ask employees to deal with that.”

Six people were killed and 12 others injured at a Westfield Shopping Centre in Bondi Junction during a stabbing rampage. Picture: Tim Hunter

Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said he was alarmed by rising violent retail crime as he renewed calls for stores to be allowed to use facial recognition technology in store security cameras.

“Retailers face increasing security challenges and we’ve previously introduced facial recognition technology to help address the serious issue of retail crime and violence, to identify known repeat offenders who have previously been banned from our stores,” he said.

“We work hard to win our customers’ trust and the privacy and protection of personal information of the general public is something we take very seriously.”

Queensland passed Jack’s Law in 2023 that allows police to use handheld metal detectors without a warrant after the stabbing death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley in Surfers Paradise in 2019.

Since then NSW and WA have introduced similar laws.