An MLC and mayoral candidate have called on the Tasmanian government to fast-track worker safety laws after a retail worker was allegedly stabbed at Spotlight in Glenorchy on Sunday.
The worker was taken to hospital with a small knife wound, police said, following the incident at the Howard Road store on Sunday afternoon.
A 28-year-old man has since been charged with wounding and other drug and bail related offences.
A 34-year-old man is facing charges of wounding, stating a false name, stealing and common assault.
Independent Elwick MLC Bec Thomas said she had been warning the state government for more than a year that workers were at risk.
“No-one should go to work fearing they may be threatened, assaulted or stabbed,” Thomas said.
“Retail workers cannot be asked to keep waiting while the risk continues.”
Thomas said two reforms she had pushed for remained stuck in consultation.
The first, workplace protection orders, was announced in June. Consultation closed in July, but no draft legislation has been released.
The second is the Police Offences Amendment (Knives and Prohibited Weapons) Bill 2026, which would ban knife sales to under-18s and require retailers to store knives securely. Consultation on the bill closed on August 13.
Thomas also wants stronger powers for shopping centre security guards to allow them to “act and intervene”.
“We have security present in almost every major retail store now. However, we’re still seeing incidents like this occur,” Thomas said.
“They can see when incidents are kicking off, but they have very limited powers.”
Thomas, a former Glenorchy mayor, has been calling for action on crime in the area since April 2025, when she phoned Premier Jeremy Rockliff after a spate of youth attacks.
At the time, the premier said “all options are on the table” and Tasmanians should not be “too scared to go and do their grocery shopping”.
The state government has since expanded police search powers under Reid’s Law and increased patrols across Glenorchy, Moonah and Claremont through Taskforce Respect, now Operation Respect.
The worker protection and knife sale laws are yet to reach parliament.
Glenorchy mayoral candidate Russell Yaxley also called for the laws to be passed and backed calls for more police resources.
“I implore the state government to listen to our community, our retail workers and local shoppers,” he said. “They deserve to be and feel safe.”
Tasmania Police’s public dashboard shows total offences in the Glenorchy area rose 16.7% in the six months to July, from 1,732 to 2,021, compared with the previous six months.
Public order incidents rose 24.5%, from 1,086 to 1,352, while public place assaults rose 63%, from 38 to 62.
Across Tasmania, total offences rose 1.7% over the same period, from 16,526 to 16,801.
Public order incidents rose 8.9%, from 9,812 to 10,683, while public place assaults rose 21.1%, from 527 to 638.
“Our community has been told it’s a perception problem, told it’s nonsense,” Yaxley said.
“Tell that to the bloke in hospital. Tell that to the retail workers who are affected back at work today.”
“The numbers are not fine, the community is not wrong and anyone still arguing otherwise is part of the problem.”
Labor leader Josh Willie said the incident was “worrying” and not the first in the area.
“We now have given police powers for wanding, which I think has improved safety dramatically, but these incidents are still occurring,” Willie said.
“So we need to look at further measures. Workplace protection orders are one measure.”
Government minister Nick Duigan said the government took the issue “very seriously” and was already acting.
“We have got legislation coming. It has been out for consultation, that’s important,” he said.
“We are firmly of the view that it’s unacceptable. People should expect to go about their work or go about their day safely and we will not accept this in our community.”
