Security boost in store after Westfield Bondi attack

Saturday’s horrific knife attack could lead to more effective protections being put in place to keep shoppers safe.

Elliott Rusanow, chief executive of Scentre Group, which operates Westfied shopping malls, outside Westfield Bondi on Monday. Picture: David Swift

Shopping centres could undergo major changes to boost shoppers’ security in the wake of the Westfield Bondi stabbings even though they had not been put on high alert according to industry experts.

The tight-knit shopping centre industry was rocked by the knife attack at the Sydney shopping mecca on Saturday afternoon, and could now face changes in how it manages major properties.

In the wake of the attack, there has been a higher police presence in Queensland around major shopping precincts but industry players said that police and security agencies had not advised them of an industry-wide need to boost their security posture.

Scentre chief executive Elliott Rusanow noted that Westfield had bolstered security at its malls and it was also reviewing security procedures, as requirements appear set to change.

NSW premier Chris Minns has requested detail on the rules governing security guards in crowded centres, including hospitals and retail centres. He said that the government was considering any additional measures required to ensure public safety.

Anthony Albanese also told the ABC on Sunday that there would be a time for “an appropriate, considered response to any security lessons that need to be learnt from the incident”.

Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA) chief executive Angus Nardi said the industry stood “ready to engage on any relevant public policy and security issues”.

“Our members’ shopping centres have mature security arrangements in relation to relevant risks, and dedicated teams and staff who undertake their roles with care, compassion and duty,” he said.

“Our industry is committed and ready to work with governments and relevant stakeholders on any learnings to ensure our staff and visitors stay safe.”

Industry experts said that a number of measures could be pursued by shopping centre managers to boost safety, including additional CCTV, security guards, and signage measures.

Praesidium Risk and Resilience managing director Scott Taylor said such attacks were quite difficult to defend against unless the pre-incident indicators were picked up.

He urged policy makers against gravitating to simply calling for more security, without them having further training and capacity.

“They’re limited in what they’re able to do because unlike police, they don’t have any force multipliers or defensive items,” he said.

He said Westfield’s processes and framework had active armed offenders as the first item in their manuals.

“Probably because of the framework that they have compared to other retailers … is the reason why you got some of the shop lockdowns that occurred rather quickly because they have some of these things.

“What I think needs to happen is that sort of level of framework and response needs to be the standard and that we need to have any of these mass gathering areas, having these items in place and drilling and training them, because just saying ‘it’s not going to happen here’ doesn’t fly,” he said.

Mr Taylor noted the difficult position of security guards and said they may need to be better equipped.

“They’ve got no other force multipliers, they don’t have batons or other items that can be used from a distance or range,” he said. “I think some of the things like the combination of stab proof vests … with the proper training and accreditation, I think it’d be more of a deterrent.”

Originally published as Security boost in store after Westfield Bondi attack