Customer-facing workers ‘should not have to work in fear’, Victorian premier says, announcing plans for tougher laws

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan cited a union survey that found 87% of workers had experienced abuse from customers in the past year. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP

Jacinta Allan has used her first Labor state conference as Victorian premier to announce plans to change the law to better protect retail, hospitality and other customer-facing workers from abuse and assault amid reports of a surge in violence.

In her speech to party faithful at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Saturday, Allan detailed plans to introduce tougher penalties for people who assault, threaten or intimidate workers.