Employers, shopping centre owners and unions will soon be able to bar violent and disruptive customers from their WA businesses.
Under the new Retail Barring Orders Bill 2025 legislation, a Retail Barring Order (RBO) tackles retail crime head on with serious or repeated RBO breaches attracting penalties of up to five years imprisonment.
Lasting up to two years for adults and one year for children, a Retail Barring Order (RBO) tackles retail crime head on with serious or repeated RBO breaches attracting penalties of up to five years imprisonment.
Reforms to safeguard small and family businesses 
CCIWA Head of Policy Dr Anthea Wesley said WA’s retail and fast-food businesses would welcome these laws, allowing them to bar repeat offenders from their stores.
“Retail crime is on the rise, and business owners and customers are footing the bill,” she said.
“Small and family businesses in particular will benefit from these changes as they often don’t have the resources to hire security for their businesses, which can leave them exposed to repeated thefts and escalating violence.”
Wesley urged the WA Parliament to pass these reforms as quickly as possible.
Government delivers on retail crime election commitment
The retail barring laws were pledged by WA Labor ahead of the March State election but were not expected to pass by the end of this year.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, December 3, Attorney General Dr Tony Buti said small and large retail businesses and shopping centres across WA were unfortunately experiencing an escalation in retail crime.
“Retail workers deserve to feel safe at work, and this legislation provides a strong, enforceable way to ban threatening or violent individuals from entering retail premises,” he said.
Police Minister Reece Whitby said the new laws gave WA Police a significant tool to prevent violence before it happened to keep the community safe.
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