Westfield security guards in Victoria say they requested additional protection months before mass Bondi stabbing

A Scentre Group spokesperson says the company has started providing Westfield staff with protective vests and will increase protection if review deems it necessary

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Westfield security guards in Victoria have claimed that their requests for more protection were not acted on in the months before the mass stabbing at Bondi Junction, while a union official has accused the retail giant of prioritising its brand image over their safety.

Two security guards based in Melbourne who either currently or previously worked in Westfield centres told Guardian Australia they asked for greater safety equipment as early as August last year but no steps were taken by their local centres, the parent company or their security employers.

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