The discussion continues to be around the situation in Nightcliff last week and the alleged stabbing of a petrol station worker and alice springs that happened as well over the weekend. We are now also receiving further information that the police have arrested a seventeen year old in relation to an aggravated robbery that occurred in Kurama overnight seven forty five. Police received reports that two male youths entered a licensed premises and one of them threatened a staff member with an aged weapon and stole a quantity of cash from the register. Security staff attended and the youths fled the scene on foot. But look, I'll take you further through that information throughout the morning, but it is another example of what our businesses, our customer service workers, those working in retail are facing every day. Now joining me on the line from the SDA, the secretary of the union which represents our retail workers, Josh Pete, good morning to you, Josh.

The discussion continues to be around the situation in Nightcliff last week and the alleged stabbing of a petrol station worker and alice springs that happened as well over the weekend. We are now also receiving further information that the police have arrested a seventeen year old in relation to an aggravated robbery that occurred in Kurama overnight seven forty five. Police received reports that two male youths entered a licensed premises and one of them threatened a staff member with an aged weapon and stole a quantity of cash from the register. Security staff attended and the youths fled the scene on foot. But look, I'll take you further through that information throughout the morning, but it is another example of what our businesses, our customer service workers, those working in retail are facing every day. Now joining me on the line from the SDA, the secretary of the union which represents our retail workers, Josh Pete, good morning to you, Josh.

Good morning Katie, thank you for having me on.

Good morning Katie, thank you for having me on.

Thank you so much for your time this morning. Josh. I mean, what has been the reaction from retail workers after the tragedy last week and the subsequent situation in Alice Springs on the weekend, and now we're hearing more from overnight.

Thank you so much for your time this morning. Josh. I mean, what has been the reaction from retail workers after the tragedy last week and the subsequent situation in Alice Springs on the weekend, and now we're hearing more from overnight.

Yeah, we look thank you, Katie. And it's been a pretty rough few days. And you know, I think it was a couple of years years ago and we were dealing with the death of Declan Lavity, and you know, fatalities in our sector are generally pretty rare, and you think that when something like that occurs as shocking as was, that it was something that we wouldn't have to deal with too often. And to be facing another situation where someone in our sector has been murdered while just doing their job is particularly shocking, and so it sent shockwaves through the entire retail community across the Northern Territory. And I think obviously all of our thoughts got to Linford's family and as they're dealing with the shocking loss of his life, but I think our thoughts should also go to all retail workers who are continuing to attend work every single day in what was probably previously considered a pretty safe sector to work in. And you know, no one expects that when you go to work in the shop that you're not going to come home at the end, at the end of the day. And unfortunately that's something that has now happened to territory and workers and their fam families and uh and is something that is I think just terrifying for the workers in this sector. And then obviously to have it follow with another stabbing of a retail worker linked to a theft or an alleged theft on Sunday in our Springs, it's really it's a really tough tough times for our members.

Yeah, we look thank you, Katie. And it's been a pretty rough few days. And you know, I think it was a couple of years years ago and we were dealing with the death of Declan Lavity, and you know, fatalities in our sector are generally pretty rare, and you think that when something like that occurs as shocking as was, that it was something that we wouldn't have to deal with too often. And to be facing another situation where someone in our sector has been murdered while just doing their job is particularly shocking, and so it sent shockwaves through the entire retail community across the Northern Territory. And I think obviously all of our thoughts got to Linford's family and as they're dealing with the shocking loss of his life, but I think our thoughts should also go to all retail workers who are continuing to attend work every single day in what was probably previously considered a pretty safe sector to work in. And you know, no one expects that when you go to work in the shop that you're not going to come home at the end, at the end of the day. And unfortunately that's something that has now happened to territory and workers and their fam families and uh and is something that is I think just terrifying for the workers in this sector. And then obviously to have it follow with another stabbing of a retail worker linked to a theft or an alleged theft on Sunday in our Springs, it's really it's a really tough tough times for our members.

Josh. How often would you say that retail workers are being threatened with violence?

Josh. How often would you say that retail workers are being threatened with violence?

Oh? Every day? And we know that this is something that unfortunately, you know, like that the issue is obviously there are threats made and then you know, but I think across the territory you would see that that that the threats of violence are incredibly common and have been coome and i have become more common over the years. But then to actually see actual violence and harm harm occurring in the frequent rate that that that's occurring, it's particularly shocking.

Oh? Every day? And we know that this is something that unfortunately, you know, like that the issue is obviously there are threats made and then you know, but I think across the territory you would see that that that the threats of violence are incredibly common and have been coome and i have become more common over the years. But then to actually see actual violence and harm harm occurring in the frequent rate that that that's occurring, it's particularly shocking.

Josh. What are some of the measures that are being taken to try and stay safe in the workplace. I know a lot of businesses are put on security what are some of the other measures or you know or mitigation methods that people are using.

Josh. What are some of the measures that are being taken to try and stay safe in the workplace. I know a lot of businesses are put on security what are some of the other measures or you know or mitigation methods that people are using.

Well, there's lots of things. I think. Firstly, one of the things that is that that is industry lead leading and has been implemented across across the territory is a significant upgrading of security guards in the major shopping centers, but also across major supermarkets. And one of the things that we're particularly continuing to focus on is to making sure that where it is feasible and reasonable and the proper step to keep workers safe, that we do have proper security guards, but not just the low grade levels, that we have security guards that are trained at level four level level five security offices that are trained and have the ability to safety intervene in incidents when they do do potentially occur. Where that's the case, we've seen a dramatic four in incidents at those major retailers. The problem that we do have, though is the at risk locations, the standalone retail outlets, the standalone pepal stations, the standalone bottle shops, where we continue to see those more exposed sites that frankly just have great greater risk and that's why we've called for and we're continuing to call for a really significant review about what the safety measures are for those standalone at risk retail outlets. We want to make it mandatory, but if you do have a worker working alone at an exposed location, that security screenings are mandatory, that people have somewhere safe to go. That's really important. You know. The idea that someone who is just sitting potentially at an exposed counter, or that they even potentially can be trapped at that counter depending on where it is located to the exit, we think is particularly dangerous. So we think work Safe are a really important role to play here to make sure the actual physical design of those standalone and at risk retail locations is upgraded.

Well, there's lots of things. I think. Firstly, one of the things that is that that is industry lead leading and has been implemented across across the territory is a significant upgrading of security guards in the major shopping centers, but also across major supermarkets. And one of the things that we're particularly continuing to focus on is to making sure that where it is feasible and reasonable and the proper step to keep workers safe, that we do have proper security guards, but not just the low grade levels, that we have security guards that are trained at level four level level five security offices that are trained and have the ability to safety intervene in incidents when they do do potentially occur. Where that's the case, we've seen a dramatic four in incidents at those major retailers. The problem that we do have, though is the at risk locations, the standalone retail outlets, the standalone pepal stations, the standalone bottle shops, where we continue to see those more exposed sites that frankly just have great greater risk and that's why we've called for and we're continuing to call for a really significant review about what the safety measures are for those standalone at risk retail outlets. We want to make it mandatory, but if you do have a worker working alone at an exposed location, that security screenings are mandatory, that people have somewhere safe to go. That's really important. You know. The idea that someone who is just sitting potentially at an exposed counter, or that they even potentially can be trapped at that counter depending on where it is located to the exit, we think is particularly dangerous. So we think work Safe are a really important role to play here to make sure the actual physical design of those standalone and at risk retail locations is upgraded.

I mean you start to wonder and look, I you know, I agree with you that workers should absolutely feel safe, and I'd be quite petrified if I was working, depending on where you're working, if you're on your own and you're in a situation where you felt like you couldn't get away. But start to wonder whether it's going to be economically viable for some businesses to actually stay open, like you know after five or six o'clock in the afternoon.

I mean you start to wonder and look, I you know, I agree with you that workers should absolutely feel safe, and I'd be quite petrified if I was working, depending on where you're working, if you're on your own and you're in a situation where you felt like you couldn't get away. But start to wonder whether it's going to be economically viable for some businesses to actually stay open, like you know after five or six o'clock in the afternoon.

Yeah, well, I think that's right. I mean, one of the things that we that we think is potential is that, you know, what can we do particularly you know, and so we've seen, for example, some of the bigger retailers, indeavor groups for example, have done a lot of work on their shop hardening is what they call it, where they will go through and refit those outlets to make sure that there's secondary exit, safe places, et cetera. But that's not potentially practical for small business businesses. So we do think constant support of that grant program that can go to support small operators because they should be able to participate in the in the nighttime economy and the marketplace as well, but do so safely. So those physical design measures I think are really really important. Obviously, over the last few days we've been engaging with not just our member's, got a whole range of businesses throughout Nightcliffe and we understand there is going to be additional call for some funding to put high grade security guards or indeed more police to make sure that they are present in that area as well. So we're going to be you know, looking forward to partnering with the business community across Nightcliffe to see if there is a way that we can support additional security offices there, I think, and so that's.

Yeah, well, I think that's right. I mean, one of the things that we that we think is potential is that, you know, what can we do particularly you know, and so we've seen, for example, some of the bigger retailers, indeavor groups for example, have done a lot of work on their shop hardening is what they call it, where they will go through and refit those outlets to make sure that there's secondary exit, safe places, et cetera. But that's not potentially practical for small business businesses. So we do think constant support of that grant program that can go to support small operators because they should be able to participate in the in the nighttime economy and the marketplace as well, but do so safely. So those physical design measures I think are really really important. Obviously, over the last few days we've been engaging with not just our member's, got a whole range of businesses throughout Nightcliffe and we understand there is going to be additional call for some funding to put high grade security guards or indeed more police to make sure that they are present in that area as well. So we're going to be you know, looking forward to partnering with the business community across Nightcliffe to see if there is a way that we can support additional security offices there, I think, and so that's.

All will come or that certainly, you know you're starting to have those discussions now for either more police in that area or greater police presence or more security.

All will come or that certainly, you know you're starting to have those discussions now for either more police in that area or greater police presence or more security.

Absolutely. I mean, the number one thing that we know is that physical deterrence is absolutely the best measure measure of defense. So we've got physical security officers, physical police presence, we know crime is far less likely to occur. It's not just about making people feel safer, it's about their actually being people having safer outcomes. And we really want what we want to see, particularly high risk exposed locations, greater police presence and great greater opportunities to see properly trained security staff there to keep the public, public and our members.

Absolutely. I mean, the number one thing that we know is that physical deterrence is absolutely the best measure measure of defense. So we've got physical security officers, physical police presence, we know crime is far less likely to occur. It's not just about making people feel safer, it's about their actually being people having safer outcomes. And we really want what we want to see, particularly high risk exposed locations, greater police presence and great greater opportunities to see properly trained security staff there to keep the public, public and our members.

Josh, I think that is an absolutely fair call to make. Mate, we are going to have to leave it there. I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you so very much for having a chat with us.

Josh, I think that is an absolutely fair call to make. Mate, we are going to have to leave it there. I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you so very much for having a chat with us.

Thanks Gage, thank you

Thanks Gage, thank you