Shopping centre attacks: legal protection for patrons

When violence erupts in a shopping centre, it’s easy to call it a tragedy, and rightly so. But what if it reveals something deeper about the systems that fail people long before they reach breaking point?

What if it’s a failure of duty of care and planning by institutions that were meant to prevent such harm?

Public spaces are supposed to be safe for everyone. 

We trust that when we enter a shopping centre, someone is responsible for our well-being. Under Australian law, trained security, working surveillance, and emergency protocols are the bare minimum to protect us. But when these basic systems fail, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Violent incidents in shopping centres are rare, but when they do occur, they expose serious vulnerabilities in how public spaces are managed. 

If you’ve been affected in a shopping centre tragedy, you may have legal rights that can help you get the compensation you deserve, through a public liability claim, especially when there’s evidence of negligence by those responsible to keep you safe.

What happened at the Westfield Bondi Junction Shopping Centre?

In April 2024, A man entered Westfield Bondi Junction and carried out a stabbing attack that left six people dead and twelve others injured.

The attack lasted mere minutes, but its impact exposed deep cracks in the security infrastructure of one of Australia’s busiest shopping centres.

One of the most alarming revelations from the coronial inquest was the failure of basic security protocols on the day. At the exact moment the attack began, the CCTV control room was left unstaffed for over 100 seconds while the security officer was on a toilet break. That gap in coverage proved critical.

When the officer returned, they struggled to identify the threat on the surveillance monitors. Just minutes later, a security subcontractor entered and located the attacker within 30 seconds, demonstrating the critical impact of proper training in emergencies.

The public inquest revealed a disturbing lack of coordination and communication. There was no contact between the CCTV control room and the police until ten minutes after the attack began. Even more shocking, the first public alarm wasn’t activated until after the attacker had already been shot dead.

The tragedy at Bondi Junction was a systemic breakdown on multiple fronts.

What are the legal implications?

Negligence in public spaces is not limited to physical hazards like spills or faulty equipment. It also includes failures in planning, training, and emergency response. 

Under Australian law, shopping centres owe a duty of care to all patrons. This means shopping centres must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the public while on their premises. 

A successful public liability claim typically requires proving four elements:

• Duty of Care – Shopping centres must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the public while on their premises.
• Breach of Duty – This can include inadequate security staffing, poor training, or failure to respond to emergencies.
• Causation – Showing the breach directly led to injury or loss.
• Damages – Demonstrating the harm suffered, such as medical bills or lost income and pain and suffering.

In the Bondi Junction case, the coronial inquest revealed that the CCTV control room was left unstaffed during the attack. This fact could support a claim of negligence, especially if it can be shown that the shopping centre failed to maintain safety standards or ignored known risks.

The responsibility for maintaining safety in shopping centres lies with the centre operators. Shopping centres must ensure their safety infrastructure is robust and responsive. Anything less is a breach of trust and potentially, a breach of the law.

Am I eligible to make a public liability claim?

We understand that no amount of compensation can ever truly account for the loss of a loved one or the trauma of surviving a violent incident. But when a tragedy occurs due to failures in public safety, legal action can offer a path toward financial support.

If you or a family member has been affected by a violent incident in a shopping centre, you may be entitled to a public liability/ nervous shock claim in Australia. 

To be successful in a claim, you’ll need to show that the shopping centre owed a duty of care, breached that duty through negligence, and that this breach directly led to injury or loss.

If your public liability claim is successful, you may recover:

• Pain and suffering damages
• Medical costs
• Psychological care and counselling
• Loss of income
• Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries

Whether you're seeking support for medical costs, psychological care, or loss of income, we’re here to help you understand your rights. Our public liability lawyers operate on a No Win, No Fee basis. Get in touch with our expert public liability lawyers to find out more about the compensation you can receive.