December 2025 Update: Workplace Protection (Personal Violence) Act 2025 (SA)— Now Law in South Australia
Retail workers across South Australia could soon get significant legal protections after a new legislative proposal aimed at tackling violence and abuse in stores. The planned changes would give courts the power to issue “Workplace Protection Orders” (WPOs) to stop violent or threatening individuals from entering retail environments.
South Australia has passed the Workplace Protection (Personal Violence) Act 2025, creating a new legal scheme to protect workers from violence, threats and abusive behaviour at work.
When the Law Was Passed and When It Takes Effect
The Act was passed by the South Australian Parliament in late November 2025 and came into affect on 4 December 2025.
What the Act Does — Key Points
The Workplace Protection (Personal Violence) Act 2025 establishes a Workplace Protection Order (WPO) scheme that:
1. Helps Prevent and Reduce Violence at Work
The Act’s purpose is to prevent and reduce personal violence in workplaces and to improve safety for workers who face threats, abuse or violent conduct on the job.
2. Introduces Workplace Protection Orders (WPOs)
A WPO is a new court order that restricts or prohibits a person from entering a workplace if they have engaged in personal violence or may do so in the future.
3. Covers a Wide Range of “Personal Violence”
The legislation defines personal violence broadly, including:
Physical or sexual violence
Threatening, stalking or harassing behaviour
Intimidation or offensive conduct
Damage to property that causes fear in a worker
4. Applies to Many Workplaces
A “workplace” includes any place where work with direct public interaction happens — whether in person or online — and can also extend to vehicles and other work locations.
5. Who Can Apply for a WPO
Applications for a WPO can be made to the Magistrates Court or Youth Court by:
Employers or business owners
Workplace health and safety representatives
Unions or employer associations
These authorised applicants act on behalf of the worker or workplace affected by violence.
6. Court Can Make Interim or Final Orders
The court can issue interim WPOs to provide immediate protection while the application is being decided. Final orders can last up to 12 months, with extensions in exceptional cases.
7. Conditions to Protect Workers
A WPO can include:
Preventing the person from entering the workplace
Setting distance or contact restrictions
Requiring surrender of firearms or licences
The court must balance safety with fairness but prioritises protecting workers.
8. Breaching a Workplace Protection Order Is a Criminal Offence
If someone breaches a WPO:
Non-aggravated breach: up to 2 years’ imprisonment
Aggravated breach (involving violence): up to 5 years’ imprisonment
9. Aims to Support Worker Safety Across Industries
While the legislation was strongly supported by retail and hospitality groups due to high rates of workplace abuse, it applies to all workplaces where workers face personal violence or threats.
Background to the new law
Retail workers face growing risks: frequent threats, assaults, and abusive behaviour in stores. These protections aim to provide proactive legal tools to protect frontline staff — not just react after harm occurs.
For business owners and operators: these laws bring new obligations and opportunities. Applying for WPOs gives a way to legally exclude repeat violent individuals from business premises, helping manage risks and protect employees.
For employees: increased reassurance that the law is recognising frontline risks and giving specific recourse for safety when working.
From a legal perspective: a new class of preventive orders is being introduced into the state’s legal framework — affecting criminal law, workplace law, and property access rights.
Key Takeaways
South Australia is considering introducing a proactive legal tool — the WPO — to prevent rather than just punish violence and abuse in retail settings.
The legislative change signals government recognition of a serious issue affecting young, inexperienced retail workers and staff at risk.
Early use of this law may set precedent for other states and territories if it proves effective.
Legal practitioners in South Australia (and beyond) should monitor how the law is implemented, how courts interpret WPOs, and how overlaps with criminal offences and workplace safety laws are managed.
If you are a retail business, union, employer, or an individual worker in South Australia you may need advice on how these proposed protections might apply — or how to prepare for them.
This OYBlog was created with AI assistance based on the following source: ‘Violent customers could face protection orders in South Australia following attacks on retail workers’, Hansard