Legislation Australian retailers have reported a detectable fall in theft and violence since states acted on the sector’s pleas for support, with Victoria witnessing an apparent stabilisation in crime incidents after increased police presence and new legislative measures.

One national retailer said there had been a noticeable improvement in Melbourne’s CBD where increased police presence has been implemented.

Last week, representatives of retailers operating in Victoria met with police leaders to establish new measures and improve cooperation, yielding more police patrols in retail precincts and methodical crime data collection.

The closed-door meeting, which included newly appointed state police commissioner Mike Bush, discussed strategies for the new year.

Victoria has been the outlier in fighting retail crime but is now pledging to pass Workplace Protection Order legislation and strengthen penalties for assaults, abuse, and harassment against retail workers.

Woolworths, Coles, Kmart, Bunnings, Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, Ikea, 7-Eleven, and Cotton On co-signed a letter to Premier Jacinta Allan and cabinet members demanding urgent action on August 26, with consultation between government and industry hastening in October.

Similar laws passed last week in South Australian parliament allow individuals to be banned from store entry for 12 months for acts such as stalking, intimidation, or property damage.

If prosecuted, they face up to five years’ jail depending on breach seriousness. Retailers hope Victoria’s adoption will reduce violence and theft in Melbourne hotspots.

“The retail community is deeply supportive of the efforts being made by the Victorian police to combat retail crime,” said Australian Retailers Association CEO Chris Rodwell.

“There’s still much work to do, but the direction is the right one. It needs to be, given it is the national hotspot for retail crime.”

This year, retail executives reached breaking point with a 30% spike in retail crime in Victoria prompting rare sector-wide collaboration.

National chains including Woolworths, Coles, Super Retail Group, and Myer said crime was disproportionately higher for Victorian stores compared with other states.

A Myer spokesman welcomed South Australia’s WPO legislation introduction as an effective tool for combating violent crime and called for nationwide implementation.

“Workplace protection orders provide Myer and other retailers with another method to target retail crime and keep our team and customers safe.”

Bunnings CEO Michael Schneider said, “Retail crime has escalated into a safety crisis for frontline workers and we’re encouraged to see state and territory governments finally taking meaningful action. We hope to see changes implemented swiftly and effectively with bipartisan support.”

Part of the problem has been attributed to organised crime, where high-value items like sports equipment and electronics are stolen for resale on the black market, described as “industrial scale theft” by Rebel owner Super Retail Group.

Woolworths head of acts of violence and aggression Sarah Faorlin said, “We are encouraged to see state governments stepping up with reforms that will reduce the violence and abuse in stores. The critical action is happening and it will make a difference in our stores. We expect to see serious incidents start to reduce in the coming months.”