When deciding how much to pay for a second-hand car, top of mind may be the number of kilometres the vehicle has already travelled. Your first step may be to check the vehicle’s odometer reading, however a recent court case has illustrated why investigating further could be a smart move. Late last year, a Ballajura motor vehicle repairer was fined $8,500 by the Perth Magistrate’s Court for...

Changes to state employment laws introduced by the Industrial Relations Legislation Amendment Act 2021 (IRLA Act) will commence in early 2022. Employers and employees covered by state employment laws will have a range of new obligations and entitlements. The IRLA Act amends the Industrial Relations Act 1979 , the Long Service Leave Act 1958 , the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993 and the...

$27,500 fine for not complying with a Building Commissioner’s order 12 instances of faulty or unsatisfactory work at a Riverton kitchen renovation Previous history of non-compliance with building and electrical laws A Perth tradesman with a history of non-compliance has been fined $27,500 for ignoring an official order to fix defective kitchen renovation work. At Perth Magistrates Court on 7...

WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a shearer at Katrine, between Northam and Toodyay. The man was reported to have been placing wool into a wool press yesterday when he was caught in the machinery. WorkSafe investigators examine the circumstances of incidents in workplaces with a view to ensuring compliance and preventing future incidents of a similar nature. WorkSafe WA...

While Christmas is a time of giving, post-Christmas is when some consumers think about returning faulty or unwanted gifts. Whether a retailer will accept a returned item could depend on your reason for returning it. If a product is faulty or not fit for its intended purpose then the retailer is obliged under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to offer you a remedy in the form of a repair,...

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today it is likely motorists will have to wait for two weeks before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 12 January 2022), the average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 30 cents...

Changes to state employment laws are coming, and when these changes commence in early 2022, household employers will have a range of new employment obligations. ‘Household employers’ are people who directly employ someone to provide domestic services in a private home. Domestic services include caring for a child, a person with a disability or an elderly person, and help with other personal tasks...

Western Australians are being reminded about the dangers of portable pools during an annual national campaign involving consumer protection agencies, product safety regulators and the Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. The ‘Don’t Duck Out, Make It SAFE’ initiative takes place each year because on average one child dies from drowning in a portable pool annually, with other kids needing...

‘Exercising more’ is a popular New Year’s resolution, so if you’re thinking about signing-up to a gym or fitness class in 2022, it’s worth knowing that things might be a little different to the last time you joined. This is because six months ago, on 1 July 2021, the rules governing WA’s fitness industry changed to provide better protection for consumers and to capture a wider range of providers...

Alwyn Healy banned permanently from retail sales in the WA aircon industry Supreme Court finds he breached an enforceable undertaking signed in 2015 Compensation order to repay $10,500 to two recent customers The Supreme Court has made a permanent order for a Tapping salesman to never again be involved in retail air conditioning sales to WA consumers as a result of further legal action taken by...

Christmas is a time when many people want to give back to their community with a donation to charity, but before opening your own wallet it is important to ensure your chosen cause is a legitimate one. So far this year, there have been nearly 800 reports and more than $172,000 in losses across Australia to scammers posing as charitable organisations, according to the Australian Competition and...