Calls for facial recognition tech grow as violent retail attacks increase by 16 per cent

Retail workers are under siege as theft and violence explode — yet New Zealand has already discovered a solution Australia won’t use.

Exclusive: Australia is lagging behind New Zealand in the adoption of facial recognition technology as retail workers cop intimidation and violence.

Retailers and unions are calling for the implementation of the emerging technology in a bid to crackdown on violent repeat offenders.

New Zealand has successfully trialled FRT in a number of retail settings and retail crime incidents involving knives have fallen 12 per cent over the past 10 months, according to retail crime platform Auror.

Conversely, retail crime incidents involving knives have increased by 12 per cent in Australia over the same period.

CCTV vision shows a brawl at a Woolworths store. Picture: Supplied

There’s been more than 2100 incidents of abuse against retailer workers at Woolworths supermarkets since July 1. This footage shows a worker struck to the head with a scooter in Mount Hutton.

Violent behaviour increased by 16 per cent over the same period while threatening behaviour jumped 20 per cent.

In New Zealand, violent crime fell six per cent and threatening crime fell five per cent.

Australian Retailers Association chief industry affairs officer Fleur Brown said the industry body supported the use of FRT to combat retail; crime.

“Facial recognition technology can help identify repeat violent offenders and communicate with authorities in real time,” she said.

“With strong guardrails in place, FRT can play a vital role in protecting frontline retail workers and the communities they serve while preserving Australians’ right to privacy.”

About 70 per cent of retailers experienced an increase in theft over the past financial year, while more than half of retailers say they experience physical abuse at least monthly.

CCTV shows Kmart worker Christine Smith being attacked by a shoplifter at Campbelltown in 2020. Picture: Supplied

Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association national secretary Gerard Dwyer said the union backed the introduction of FRT accompanied by robust regulation to protect staff and customer privacy.

“The SDA believes that facial recognition technology has a legitimate role when used to ensure worker and shopper safety and with appropriate guardrails,” he said.

Crucially the Auror technology being trialled in New Zealand captures data for a fraction of a second before deleting if no match is made with a repeat offender. The FRT also does not record a person’s race, culture or sexuality to prevent profiling.

Bunnings boss Mike Schneider is calling for facial recognition technology to be used to protect staff. Picture: Supplied

There were 27,000 incidents at Bunnings stores last year that saw a 100 per cent increase in sexual assaults and a 65 per cent increase in incidents involving a weapon. Picture: Supplied

Bunnings was found to have interfered with the privacy of customers by using FRT in stores by the Privacy commissioner.

The hardware giant is seeking a review of the determination before the Administrative Review Tribunal and it is unclear when a decision will be made.

News Corp’s Stop Shop Abuse campaign advocated for greater safety for retail workers.

Auror senior director Nick McDonnell said Australian retailers were waiting for regulatory certainty before investing in FRT.

“People want the certainty to not just invest in the systems but they also want the certainty to be able to know that they’re not going to be under investigation for trying to keep their people safe,” he said.

About 800,000 retail crime events were recorded in Australia last year.

Originally published as Calls for facial recognition tech grow as violent retail attacks increase by 16 per cent