MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA
MEDIA RELEASE
3 SEPTEMBER 2025
Thomas Mayo rejects NT Government's planned roll out of pepper spray to security guards
The Maritime Union of Australia's Assistant National Secretary Thomas Mayo has expressed serious concern at the Northern Territory Government's plan to expand the use of OC spray, or pepper spray, by security personnel, warning that it risks escalating violence rather than making communities safer.
Thomas Mayo, Assistant National Secretary of the MUA, said the decision ignores the concerns of experts and survivors of domestic violence, who fear the spray could be used against them. "Introducing more weapons into our communities increases the chance of violence and reduces safety," Mr Mayo said. "Domestic violence survivors are telling us they are terrified this spray could be turned on them, yet their voices are being ignored. We have already seen in Western Australia that the widespread use of OC spray has not improved safety, and there is no evidence it will work here in the Territory."
Mr Mayo said the focus should instead be on addressing the root causes of violence. "If governments are serious about making our communities safer, they must address poverty, invest in mental health and social services, and respond to the health challenges that drive violence. Simply arming more people with pepper spray is a lazy and dangerous approach."
The MUA has been at the forefront of efforts to eliminate domestic violence, recognising that safer homes and workplaces are built through prevention, care and respect, not coercion.
Mr Mayo said the work of mental health and wellbeing organisations such as Hunterlink provides a clear alternative to punitive measures. "Hunterlink shows us what real prevention looks like: providing support to workers, families and communities in times of crisis, offering help before harms escalate. That's how we build resilience and cohesion, not by rolling out more weapons," he said.
The MUA is calling on the NT Government to listen to vulnerable communities, survivors, and experts, and to redirect resources toward evidence-based prevention strategies. "We want a future where communities are strong, connected and safe," Mr Mayo said. "That won't come from pepper spray-it will come from care, support and tackling the underlying causes of violence."
