With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection Gary Newcombe Puppy scammers are getting their claws into the money of pet-buyers in Western Australia. WA ScamNet – the area of Consumer Protection that deals with consumer fraud – received four reports of monetary loss to puppy sale scams recently. All of the victims had been buying online but there were slight differences in their stories: One...

UPDATE: New advice to seek a refund or replacement has been issued since this blog was published. Please read the latest media statement: www.commerce.wa.gov.au/announcements/urgent-advice-owners-recalled-samsu... With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner Gary Newcombe It has been more than two years since Samsung Australia recalled six models of top loading washing machines because they pose...

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA) has told a recent Senate inquiry into non-conforming building products that a wide range of imported goods and materials used in the building industry has been found to contain asbestos. Last year, cement compound board imported into the Australian Capital Territory from China was found to contain chrysotile asbestos and in New South Wales an...

Information sessions on accreditation and training for Level 1 BAL Assessors are to be held on Friday 14 August 2015 in Perth and Bunbury.

On 1 July 2015 Standards Australia published new 2015 versions of AS/NZS 3500, Part 1 Water services and Part 2 Sanitary plumbing and drainage. As of 1 May 2015 the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) is the primary document that sets the plumbing standards in Western Australia and the AS/NZS 3500:2003, Parts 1, 2 and 4 are called up as Deemed-to-Satisfy referenced documents in the PCA. It should be...

Engineers Australia is hosting a free student night as part of Australian Engineering Week 2015.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Anne Driscoll People who sell cars on a regular basis need to hold a motor vehicle dealers licence. In fact the law says that if you sell more than four cars a year you may be asked to substantiate why you do not hold a dealers licence. If it is purely for personal use and is not connected to running a de-facto business buying cars privately and then on-...

Consumer Protection is warning Aqwest customers in Bunbury about a potential phone scam. There have been three reports from people who were phoned by a caller claiming to be Aqwest, offering a free water filter for taking part in the survey and asking for credit card details from the call recipient. Aqwest says it does not offer inducements or ask for credit card details during phone surveys...

Consumer Protection is warning Western Australians not to deal with Gerardus (Gerry) Hermanus Jorissen who has sent at least $200,000 of other people’s money to overseas criminals under the guise of an investment scheme. Mr Jorissen who lives in Moora, came to the attention of authorities in 2013 as a possible fraud victim identified by Project Sunbird – an anti-fraud initiative run...

Working on or near energised electrical equipment (live work) is the leading cause of burns, shocks, serious accidents and fatalities for electricians. Energy Safety ’s Code of Practice for persons working on or near energised electrical installations sets out guidelines issued under the authority of Section 33AA of the Electricity Act 1945 (WA). WorkCover NSW has recently released an electrical...

A 2.1% increase to the state minimum wage and all WA award pay rates was effective from the first pay period on or after 1 July 2015. The state minimum wage for award-free employees increased by $14 per week and the new adult minimum wage is $679.90 per week. Minimum rates for award-free juniors, apprentices and trainees are available on the Minimum pay rates for award free employees page. Wage...

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