A Centrelink employee who was stabbed by a customer is planning to take legal action against the welfare agency for failing to protect her.
Joeanne Cassar, 55, was on duty at the Airport West’s Centrelink in Melbourne on Tuesday when a man allegedly knifed her in the lower back – narrowly missing her kidneys.
The alleged attacker Elijah Chase, 34, had previously been banned from the Centrelink office after another alleged attack on a female staff member.
Ms Cassar’s husband Andrew Giusti said the welfare agency needs to tighten its security measures across its Australian branches.
Joeanne Cassar (pictured), 55, was on duty at the Airport West’s Centrelink in Melbourne on Tuesday when a man allegedly knifed her in the lower back – narrowly missing her kidneys
Her husband Andrew Giusti said his wife allegedly saw the knife in Chase’s hand before the man allegedly attacked her (pictured, police at the scene on Tuesday)
‘Centrelink workers are at risk everyday. If we don’t do anything to change the current process, a worker could get killed,’ Mr Giusti told the Herald Sun.
‘If entry was controlled, he would not have been able to enter the building and she may not have been stabbed.
‘We will be looking to pursue a legal claim and to find out what options and compensation are available.’
The pair’s lawyer Allanah Goodwin from Arnold Thomas and Becker said the incident reveals the vulnerabilities and risks frontline workers have to face daily.
She added the policy failure of Services Australia which delivers social services like Centrelink resulted in Ms Cassar’s horror attack.
Mr Giusti said his wife allegedly saw the knife in Chase’s hand before the man allegedly attacked her.
She had tried to bar him from entering but other staff members had let him in, he claimed.
Victoria Police commissioner Graham Ashton (pictured) said he will lead an urgent review of service centre security following the brutal stabbing
Mr Giusti said the welfare agency needs to tighten its security measures across its Australian branches (pictured, the Centrelink in Airport West in Melbourne)
A source told Daily Mail Australia Ms Cassar had asked Chase to leave the welfare agency on Tuesday morning before he returned at about 1.30pm.
The person, who asked not to be identified, claimed Ms Cassar was allegedly stabbed immediately after Chase returned.
Ms Cassar was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition but by Wednesday she was stable – although feeling ‘tired’ and ‘fatigued’.
Mr Giusti said his wife was speaking, on pain meds and had been up on her feet since the alleged incident.
It comes after former Victoria Police commissioner Graham Ashton said he will lead an urgent review of service centre security following the brutal stabbing.
Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten said Mr Ashton and his team would examine what could be done better to prevent and deter future incidents.
‘This review will be carried out as a priority. The impact of this terrible incident on staff is obvious. Some were too distressed to return to frontline work today,’ Mr Shorten told Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
‘I think it is important, and I briefly mentioned this to the Shadow Minister, that this Parliament expresses its support for all of our public servants, in particular the person who was assaulted yesterday.’
Meanwhile, charge sheets reveal Chase had been let loose in the community after another alleged rampage at a JobFind Centre in Geelong, south of Melbourne.
Police charged Chase with multiple counts of assault over the December 17, 2020 incident, including recklessly causing injury.
The documents reveal Chase was charged over alleged assaults against two men, one of whom is believed to be an employee.
It is understood that employee sustained a broken collarbone in the alleged attack.
Chase, from Essendon, has been charged in the latest incident with intentionally cause serious injury, recklessly cause serious injury, reckless conduct endangering life, common law assault, and use and possession of controlled weapon.
The court heard Chase required full psychiatric review upon being taken to prison.
A lawyer acting as a ‘friend of the court’ said Chase had refused to speak with Victorian Legal Aid lawyers and was ‘delusional’.
‘I was not keen to talk at the time,’ Chase said from the prison dock within the courtroom.
Chase had expressed an interest in making an ‘in person’ bail application himself, but changed his mind after speaking to the lawyer.
He will return to court next week over multiple offences.
A Services Australia staff member said there was no added security at the Centrelink branch which reopened on Wednesday – despite the recent breach.
Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen said employees should be free to do their jobs without threats against personal safety.
He added Tuesday was a very sad day for the organisation and said its immediate priority is to support all staff impacted by the incident.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
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