New Victorian Premier Moves to Ban Abusive Customers From Retail Outlets

Newly appointed Victorian Premier Ben Carroll (C) walks out of the caucus room alongside new deputy premier Gabrielle Williams at Victorian Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia on July 28, 2026. Asanka Ratnayake/Getty ImagesVictorian Premier Ben Carroll will ban abusive customers from retail stores and other workplaces with potential prison time for breaches.Fronting the media at a Kmart at Bourke Street, the same company where he began his working life, Carroll unveiled the measures on his second day in the job.Carroll was elected Labor leader and premier just four months out from the state election after his colleagues forced former Premier Jacinta Allan to stand down.He started at Kmart at age 14 but has spent most of his career as a Labor staffer and politician.Under the new Workplace Protection Order regime, to be introduced to parliament on July 28, courts will be able to ban abusive customers from workplaces for up to 12 months.Breaches will carry penalties of up to two years’ jail or fines of up to $50,000.“If you assault, abuse, intimidate or stalk a retail, fast-food, hospitality or transport worker, you can now be banned from their workplace,” the Labor government said.Retail and transport operators and employee unions will be able to apply to the Magistrates Court and Children’s Court for a Workplace Protection Order.Carroll said retail and transport workers keep Victoria running and must be safe at work.“These new powers will protect workers, stop repeat offenders and make it clear that this behaviour won’t be tolerated,” he said.Opposition leader Jess Wilson said the state did not need “another unelected Labor premier.”“Ben Carroll and Labor have opposed stronger laws to keep retail workers and shoppers safe,” she said in a statement.The Allan Labor government previously implemented a ban on machetes as part of its efforts to combat youth crime.The move was welcomed by the Australian Retail Council but said the key was whether it could provide immediate relief.“Retailers will be looking closely at whether the Bill includes urgent interim orders, which would allow a repeat offender to be barred immediately from returning to harass, intimidate or assault a worker while what may be a lengthy court process takes place,” said CEO Chris Rodwell, in a statement.“South Australia and the ACT have already implemented practical models. Victoria has the opportunity to draw on those schemes and deliver protections that work from day one.”Royal Commission Into the Big BuildIn his first days in the job, Carroll, from Labor’s right faction, moved to distance himself from former leaders Allan and Daniel Andrews, moving to establish a Royal Commission into the Big Build corruption scandal.The scandal involves the alleged infiltration of criminal gangs via the union movement in the state’s major infrastructure programs, costing taxpayers an extra $15 billion.“I said I want exhaustive terms of reference. No stone unturned,” Carroll told reporters on July 29.“Whether it is top-tier contractors, subcontractors, labour hire, government, unions—these will be exhaustive terms of reference.”