Security staff need counselling, can't return to work after Westfield Bondi Junction attack

West Australian

26-05-2025

Some security staff still require counselling and haven't been able to return to work at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre following the 2024 stabbing rampage, an inquest has been told.
Joel Cauchi stabbed 16 people and killed Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13, 2024, before he was then shot dead by police.
A coronial inquest into the attack was told some security staff hadn't been able to return to work at the shopping centre following the tragedy.
The shopping centre is operated by Scentre Group, which uses subcontractors Falkon and Glad Group.
Glad chief executive Steve Iloski told the inquest that several staff had been affected by the attack and needed counselling and support from the Employee Assistance Program.
He said Glad was doing 'everything in our power' to get them back on their feet.
'I take that quite serious,' Mr Iloski told the court.
'Our priority is the welfare of our staff … We had counselling services, financial aid that was acquired for the staff to continue actively in life in general.'
He paid tribute to security guard Mr Tahir, who was killed during his first day on the job at the shopping centre.
'That day changed lives, it took lives (in) the cruellest of circumstances,' Mr Iloski said.
'Faraz Tahir was clearly so loved by his family, friends, community, and I can confidently say that his loss …(has) been felt deeply across Glad Group and the security industry.'
He also extended his thoughts to Mr Tahir's family as well as the families of the five other victims and surviving security guard Muhammad Taha.
'You were injured trying to protect others … We owe you our deepest respect and gratitude,' he said.
Mr Iloski said the tragedy had 'hit home' for him even though he wasn't present on the day.
'I really am sorry, what's happened on that day – it's heart wrenching,' he told the court.
'I've got young kids … it really hits home. As a leader, we've always taken security and safety as paramount.
'The team did the best they could, I don't think anything would've changed that day unfortunately.
'Mr Cauchi … his intent was very clear
'I'm very sorry, and we take this quite seriously.'
The responses and policies of Scentre and Glad have been probed at length over the course of the inquest, which entered its fifth and final week on Monday morning.
This included the competency of the sole control room operator, who can only be known as CR1, rostered to the CCTV control room on the day of the attack.
The court was earlier told how she failed to answer questions related to an active armed offender on a competency checklist weeks before her training was signed off in January 2024 and how she went to the bathroom 40 seconds before Cauchi stabbed his first victim, leaving the room unmonitored.
Cauchi had attacked eight people by the time she re-entered, with all 16 people stabbed by the time another security employee (known as CR2) entered the room about 3.36pm.
Security expert Scott Wilson told the court that he didn't feel CR1 performed her job adequately on the day.
Public announcements were also not made until about 20 minutes after the first victim was stabbed. When they were finally made about 3.52pm, they were done from a room external to the CCTV control room, and people were unsure whether the person making them (CR1) was under duress as she sounded 'distressed and distraught', the court was told.
An automated PA system had since been put in place at the shopping centre, along with a raft of other measures, the court was told.
Mr Iloski told the court that the inquest has been 'very valuable', and while some of the evidence had been 'hard' for team members, scrutiny was important.
mental health support