The Wageline Newsletter September 2016 edition has been published today. Wageline Newsletter is an email service which provides updates on: increases to the state minimum wage and WA award rates of pay other changes to key WA awards critical issues employers need to know to comply with state employment laws You can subscribe to the Wageline Newsletter on the Wageline Newsletter page. Wageline's...

The four month transitional period that delayed the application of the bush fire construction requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) for areas that were newly identified as bush fire prone on the Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas 2016 (that came into operation on 21 May 2016) concluded yesterday. From today, 21 September 2016, applications for building approvals for certain residential...

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Scammers are carrying out research into people at various organisations and either hacking computers or impersonating email accounts in a fraud known as a ‘man in the middle’ attack. Consumer Protection and WA Police Major Fraud Squad warn anyone making payments to third parties to be aware of the increased frequency in attempts to...

Wageline has launched new versions of the annual leave, sick leave and long service leave calculation guides used by thousands of our clients. The new guides, which explain and provide examples of how to calculate leave entitlements, are available on the Wageline's Leave Calculation Guides page .

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard It’s now easier for you to check whether your consumer goods are safe thanks to the new Product Safety Australia website www.productsafety.gov.au , which I would urge you to add to your favourites and make use of. There were 670 recalls across the country in the last financial year compared to 596 in the previous financial year. The...

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Consumer Protection has noticed that anytime there is a change in the economic climate there will be some business closures as a result. It is often difficult to spot telltale signs of financial distress but, as consumers, we need to be aware of the risks involved when paying for goods or services in advance; even the purchase of...

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Many products we buy can be a danger to children. Often Consumer Protection voices concerns about small items such as parts that can choke, button batteries that can cause internal burns or potentially poisonous laundry detergent pods. But large items, such as furniture, also pose a big risk. Every year in Australia at least one...

An interim ban on electrically unsafe self-balancing scooters, also known as hoverboards, has now been introduced as a mandatory standard for the next two years. Self-balancing scooters are also known as gliders, smart boards, sky walkers or mod boards. Most two-wheel scooters are manufactured in China and range in retail in price in Australia from $150 to $1,000. The original ban came into place...

The Australia wide roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) commenced on 1 July 2016. To coincide with this, new information guides have been released for consumers with disabilities about their rights and businesses with useful information about their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACL provides protection when you buy goods like food, electrical items...

Wageline has updated the minimum rates for award-free employees and the pay rates in Wageline’s WA Award Summaries. View the new WA Award Summaries and minimum rates . The new wage rates apply from the first pay period or after 1 July 2016. The state minimum wage for adult award-free employees will increase by $13 to $692.90 per week. Adult pay rates under state awards will also increase by $13...

A report by Auditor General Colin Murphy has assessed how well the Building Commission regulates Western Australia’s residential building industry.

With the end of the financial year fast approaching many car dealers may use the month of June to offer deals to potential buyers to increase their sales volumes for the year. Car-buyers need to be mindful of the warranties that apply to vehicles purchased during this time. Demonstration models are often an attractive alternative for buyers seeking a new car that may be offered at a reduced price...