Announcements

Showing 1376 - 1400 of 2245 results
WA’s building regulator is urging owner-builders to ensure they fully understand their obligations after a Perth man was fined $2,400 for selling his house without the necessary home indemnity insurance. At Joondalup Magistrates Court on 1 November 2019, Jonathon Robert Reardon pleaded guilty to an offence under WA’s home building contract laws following a prosecution by Building and Energy. The...
Building and Energy
Media release
13 Nov 2019
A real estate agent has been fined $500 and ordered to pay costs of $553.90 by the Mandurah Magistrates Court for failing to cooperate with requests from the auditor during the termination audit of his previous business. Gregory James O’Farrell , former Director of O’Farrell Property Group Pty Ltd of Mandurah, did not renew the company’s triennial certificate and the business ceased to operate in...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Nov 2019
A registered gas fitter has been ordered to pay more than $10,000 for his potentially deadly connection of a natural gas cooker to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply, which caused a fireball to erupt when the appliance was used. Following a prosecution by Building and Energy (formerly Energy Safety ), the gas fitter pleaded guilty at Perth Magistrates Court to two breaches of WA’s gas...
Building and Energy
Media release
11 Nov 2019
The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 20 cents per litre (cpl) to 153.3 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 12 November 2019, most branded retailers are increasing their ULP price. BP, Caltex and Coles Express sites are increasing between 29 and 32 cpl to 162.9 cpl, Caltex Woolworths...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Nov 2019
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard I remember the first time we held the Consumer Protection Awards in 2004 and I’m proud that the annual event has become firmly fixed in the Western Australian calendar as an opportunity to acknowledge community contributions to consumer protection. Many individuals, organisations, businesses and media professionals are involved in helping...
Consumer Protection
Media release
08 Nov 2019
Home and business buyers as well as real estate and settlement agents in WA are urged to be on high alert after two payments totalling $70,000 meant for a Perth settlement agent were stolen by scammers. The scammers had cloned the settlement agent’s Yahoo email address, changing just one character, and sent a payment request for $48,000 to the buyer of a business. The email contained details of a...
Consumer Protection
Media release
07 Nov 2019
WorkSafe has initiated prosecution action against the building company that employed a labour hire backpacker who died as a result of a fall in 2016. WorkSafe’s investigation was conducted as a result of that death, and while no charges have been laid in relation to the incident, other breaches were identified during the course of the investigation and this prosecution is the result. Hanssen Pty...
WorkSafe
Media release
07 Nov 2019
It is important to understand the difference between whether a worker is an employee or a subcontractor as different obligations apply. For example, if a worker is legally an employee but they are instead engaged as a subcontractor, they may be entitled to claim for unpaid leave entitlements, penalty rates and superannuation. A subcontractor is not an employee, but rather a worker running their...
Labour Relations
Department News
07 Nov 2019
WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a 63-year-old truck driver at a workplace in Wootatting (near York) yesterday. The man was believed to have been performing repair or maintenance work on a truck in a workshop when he was caught between the wheel arch and the tyre. Inspectors travelled to the site last night and will continue to closely examine the circumstances of the incident...
WorkSafe
Media release
06 Nov 2019
A Perth building surveying company and its two directors have been fined a total of $35,000 for negligence after signing off on three buildings that failed to meet fire safety requirements. Applecross-based registered building surveying contractor Resolve Group Pty Ltd (BSC31) and registered building surveying practitioners Scott Michael Roberts (BSP244) and Kieran James Hunt (BSP2224) were the...
Building and Energy
Media release
05 Nov 2019
A proactive inspection program looking at safety issues in WA’s child care centres has revealed a widespread lack of risk assessment and training in hazardous substances. The program, which included both government and private childcare centres in metropolitan and regional areas of the State, was undertaken because child care was a relatively new work area and had not been closely examined for...
WorkSafe
Media release
05 Nov 2019
Consumers facing financial difficulties are urged to exercise caution when approached by budget and debt management companies that charge fees for their services. Complaints have been received by Consumer Protection from consumers who claim that they are charged fees for services, which were not delivered and some have signed contracts without realising that this would lead to a caveat being put...
Consumer Protection
Media release
04 Nov 2019
The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 18 cents per litre (cpl) to 151 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 5 November 2019, most branded retailers are increasing their ULP price – Coles Express hiking by 29 cpl to 162.9 cpl, BP and Caltex to 159.9 cpl, 7-Eleven to 158.7 cpl, Caltex...
Consumer Protection
Media release
04 Nov 2019
New national gift card laws will come into effect tomorrow (1 November 2019) to help protect consumers from losing an estimated $70 million on gift cards each year. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said the Australian Consumer Law was amended to ensure a consistent approach to gift cards, no matter where in Australia they are purchased. “Gift cards are big money in Australia,...
Consumer Protection
Media release
31 Oct 2019
WorkSafe is conducting a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues relating to tower cranes in service at WA construction sites. The program will continue until the end of the 2019/20 financial year, and will include tower cranes on construction sites in both metropolitan and regional areas of the State. WorkSafe Director Sally North said today an inspection program was being...
WorkSafe
Media release
31 Oct 2019
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe We have had continuing reports of tree lopper businesses harassing customers, not removing debris, damaging property or not completing work. They distribute flyers and advertise their services on Gumtree, Facebook and supermarket noticeboards. They have been spotted mostly in the northern suburbs of Perth and in Fremantle. Some businesses...
Consumer Protection
Media release
28 Oct 2019
The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by more than 18 cents per litre (cpl) to 152.7 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 29 October 2019, many BP and Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 163.9 cpl (hiking by 31 cpl and 29 cpl, respectively). Most 7-Eleven sites are increasing...
Consumer Protection
Media release
28 Oct 2019
WorkSafe has issued a reminder on the safe movement of vehicles on worksites after the results of a Coronial Inquest into the death of a postal worker in 2015 were released. WorkSafe WA Commissioner Darren Kavanagh said today employers needed to ensure safe systems of work were developed and implemented in workplaces where vehicles and workers were present in the same area. “Wherever vehicles and...
WorkSafe
Media release
23 Oct 2019
A real estate property manager and agency licensee have been ordered to pay a total of $9,700 by the State Administrative Tribunal after the property manager operated while her certificate of registration as a sales representative had expired. Property manager Wendy Maxine Caroline Vettler was fined $1,500 for breaching the Real Estate and Business Agents Act. Her employer Teevor Pty Ltd ,...
Consumer Protection
Media release
23 Oct 2019
Local governments are continuing to take action to address the number of overdue inspections of private pool safety barriers but there is still room for improvement, the Building Commissioner has reported. WA local governments are required to inspect the safety barriers of private pools in their districts at least every four years to ensure they are compliant and continue to be effective in...
Building and Energy
Media release
21 Oct 2019
The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by over 19 cents per litre (cpl) to 155.1 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 22 October 2019, many BP and Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 164.9 cpl (hiking by 32 cpl and 27 cpl, respectively). Most Caltex sites are increasing their...
Consumer Protection
Media release
21 Oct 2019
All employers covered by the WA state industrial relations system are legally required to keep employment records. The state system covers businesses which operate as sole traders, unincorporated partnerships or unincorporated trusts. Employment records must be in English and can be written or electronic, as long as they can be printed. They must be kept for at least seven years after they are...
Labour Relations
Department News
18 Oct 2019
A tree lopper who accepted payment to cut down six trees but only chopped off branches on one has been fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the Australian Consumer Law. Siuosavaii Maiava trading as Fairdinkum Tree Services was also ordered to pay court costs of $2,307.50 when the Consumer Protection prosecution was heard at the Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday 11 October 2019. In...
Consumer Protection
Media release
17 Oct 2019
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe Aside from your home, your car is likely to be your biggest asset. Unlicensed motor vehicle dealers can pose a huge, unnecessary risk to your vehicle and to the safety of your family. Buying a vehicle from an unlicensed dealer increases the risk of it being substandard, dangerous and possibly unroadworthy. By engaging the services of an...
Consumer Protection
Media release
17 Oct 2019
Laws to allow renters to fix furniture to walls to prevent death or injury to children from toppling furniture have passed through State Parliament. The Consumer Protection Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 amends the Residential Tenancies Act and means landlords must allow tenants, who submit a request form, to attach furniture to a wall to prevent a child, or a person with a disability, from...
Consumer Protection
Media release
16 Oct 2019

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