Victoria's Premier Ben Carroll has called for adult punishments for a group of youths allegedly responsible for an attack that critically injured a retail worker in Sunshine, Melbourne. Five young people were charged with assault-related offenses following the incident on Saturday afternoon.
Police allege the group attempted to steal items from a clothing store before a confrontation ensued with an employee. A 60-year-old man, who was working nearby, reportedly came to the shopkeeper's aid. CCTV footage shows the man chasing the group before he was allegedly attacked and pushed to the ground, causing his head to strike the pavement. The man was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Four teenagers were arrested near the scene, and a 12-year-old was later apprehended at his home. The five youths, including two 14-year-old girls, a 12-year-old boy, a 13-year-old boy, and a 15-year-old boy, have been charged with affray, violent disorder, intentionally causing injury, and intentionally causing serious injury. They were expected to appear in court on Sunday, with police intending to seek their remand in custody.
The alleged attack occurred just three days after Premier Carroll unveiled new retail worker protection laws. These laws empower courts to restrict workplace access for individuals who assault, intimidate, or stalk workers. Carroll, a former retail worker himself, expressed strong disapproval of the alleged incident.
"This was terrible what occurred to this gentleman in a retail shop," Carroll told reporters. "There's no tolerance for this sort of behaviour, it's awful." He added that the incident would have "lifetime consequences" for both the victim and the alleged offenders, stating that their lives would change facing jail time.
Data from the retail crime intelligence platform Auror indicates a rise in violent incidents in Victorian retail stores, with a 10.5 percent increase recorded so far in 2026, following a 29 percent spike in 2025. In 2025, over 7,700 crimes against individuals, including assault and harassment, were recorded in Victorian retail settings, according to the Crime Statistics Agency.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson criticized Carroll, accusing him of prioritizing Labor's bill over a Liberal workplace protection bill that she claimed would have taken immediate effect. Wilson stated that Labor's scheme is not scheduled to be implemented until mid-next year, and questioned the government's seriousness in addressing the state's crime crisis.
