The National Retail Association (NRA) is disappointed after a “meagre sentence” was handed down to the first person convicted under new South Australian laws to protect retail workers from violence.
According to media reports, 19-year-old Mia Miller was released on an 18-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to spitting on, verbally abusing and punching two McDonald’s workers in South Australia. Miller was ordered to perform 75 hours of community service within 10 months.
NRA director of policy David Stout said retail business owners and their employees had been watching the case closely, hoping to see the courts send a strong statement to offenders. He said the sentence would be a disappointment for those who regularly deal with violence in their workplace.
“We know that 80 per cent of retail workers have experienced some form of abuse at the hands of customers, including violence,” Stout said.
“It was pleasing to see the South Australian Government leading the nation by bringing in specific laws, and we are still keen to see other states and territories follow. We are also very grateful for the way the South Australian Police have prioritised this issue, and worked hard to bring this prosecution to the courts.
“Sadly though, unless the courts also realise the significance of the problem, and send appropriate signals when sentencing offenders, the deterrent simply is not there. In this case, staff were physically assaulted and spat on, and they have told the court they were left traumatised by the experience.
“To see the offender walk away with a good behaviour bond and fine - but no jail time - will compound their trauma, and will disappoint all retail owners and workers who had such high hopes for these new laws.
“We would like to see the South Australian Government have another look at their nation-leading laws, to ensure that all the good work of police is not undone in sentencing offenders.”
Stout said the NRA was leading advocacy on this issue through its state-based Retail Crime Committees, and called on the sector to report all retail crime to police.