The Australian Retail Council (ARC) welcomes the passage of the Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2026 through NSW Parliament and urges the Minns Government to bring the new protections into operation as soon as possible.
The laws will allow courts to bar people who have threatened, intimidated or assaulted workers from returning to a workplace where there is a risk they will offend again. Workplace protection orders can be made against people aged 14 and over. Knowingly breaching a condition of an order carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail, a $5,500 fine, or both.
ARC CEO Chris Rodwell said the legislation is a major win for retail worker safety across NSW.
“This is a big moment for worker and customer safety and we thank the Minns Government for listening to retailers and their teams, and the NSW Parliament for passing these critical laws,” Mr Rodwell said.
“The aggression, abuse and violence we’re seeing in stores across NSW are unacceptable. Nobody should turn up for a shift wondering whether the person who threatened or assaulted them will walk back through the door. That fear can stay with people long after they’ve gone home.”
Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show police recorded 8,944 victims of assault at retail locations across NSW in 2025, equivalent to about 25 a day.
“Workplace protection orders give retailers, police and courts a practical way to keep dangerous repeat offenders out of stores and break the cycle of offending,” Mr Rodwell said.
“Importantly, the scheme also includes urgent interim orders, so a court can bar someone from returning to a store if they pose an immediate risk to workers. That means staff can get instant protection while the court considers a final order.”
“We’ve seen the difference these barring and interim orders can make across the border in the ACT, and now in South Australia. This is why we’ve long called for workplace protection orders to become the national standard.”
The NSW Government has indicated the scheme is expected to start within 12 months of the legislation passing. Western Australia passed its Retail Barring Orders legislation in October and expects the scheme to be operating before Christmas.
“WA is aiming to have its barring order protections in place within a few months of passing parliament. We’re urging NSW to move with the same level of urgency. Workers facing threats and violence from dangerous repeat offenders today shouldn’t have to wait another year for protection,” Mr Rodwell said.
“They can’t start soon enough.”
About us: Australian Retail Council (ARC) represents a $444 billion sector that employs 1.4 million Australians across metropolitan, regional, and remote communities – making retail the largest private sector employer in the country and a significant contributor to the Australian economy. Our membership spans the full spectrum of Australian retail, from family-owned small and independent retailers that make up 95% of our membership, through to our largest national and international retailers that employ thousands of Australians and support both metropolitan and regional communities every day.
