Adelaide security guards say they’re forced to break rules to keep shopping centres safe, call for more powers

Security guards at a major Adelaide shopping centre say they’re forced to “bend the rules” to keep people safe – and believe “another Bondi” could happen at any time.

Security guards on duty at Adelaide shopping centres say it’s safer to work on Hindley St – with one warning “another Bondi” could happen at any time.

Jason and Tom*, who spoke to The Advertiser on the condition of anonymity following a series of armed incidents at Elizabeth, Marion and Bondi Junction in Sydney this year, said they had confiscated knives, which was against policy.

“Somebody else is going to lose their life in a Westfield Centre … maybe another (shopping centre) … if something isn’t done very soon,” Jason said.

“All of the same ingredients that led to and took place in Bondi are still there. Nothing has changed … this could happen at any time again,” Tom warned.

Jason said shopping centre work was more dangerous than on Hindley St, where security had more power and patrons were more responsive to rules.

Jason and Tom say their years of industry experience has prepared them for riskier situations.

“By going against the grain, bending the rules and using our experience we mitigate a lot of problems,” Tom said.

They and colleagues have confiscated weapons from youths in recent months, including at least four machetes they have no safe way to dispose of.

“We strip knives off of people and we have no disposal method because it’s not supposed to be something that we do,” Jason said.

Two of the machetes confiscated by security guards at a major shopping centre this year.

Recently security at their shopping centre rounded up a group of teens, “pressed them” and stripped them of weapons, fearing another machete brawl similar to the fight at Rundle Mall this month.

“This was 100 per cent against Scentre Group Westfield’s policy,” Jason said.

Westfield’s parent company Scentre Group said safety and security was its “highest priority”.

It said security guards were “not law enforcement”, were required to “observe, report and escalate any incidents to authorities” and provide support to emergency services.

Jason and Tom said that policy didn’t reflect the reality of the job.

Armed police at Westfield Marion during the June lockdown. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Screengrabs from video showing a fight between teenagers at Elizabeth Shopping Centre in October, which resulted in a boy being stabbed. Picture: 7 NEWS

Screengrabs from video showing a fight between teenagers at Elizabeth Shopping Centre in October, which resulted in a boy being stabbed. Picture: 7 NEWS

Scentre Group said it had heightened security across its Westfield locations after the deadly Bondi knife attack in April and its security approach was created in partnership with law enforcementand government.

SDA Union’s SA secretary Josh Peak called for a review and said security guards needed stronger powers.

“That must come with better training to ensure our security personnel are also not put at risk,” he said.

The state government was looking at “giving significantly more powers to law enforcement authorities, including in shopping centres” as part of broader knife crime reform, a spokesperson said.

*Names have been changed.

Originally published as Adelaide security guards say they’re forced to break rules to keep shopping centres safe, call for more powers