The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has today released an online survey regarding the inclusion of mandatory requirements in the National Construction Code (NCC) for the development of Performance Solutions. You have been invited to complete the survey in order to help inform the development of draft NCC provisions for public consultation and the associated regulation impact analysis. The...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Consumer Protection is aware that contamination or damage to homes from illegal drug activity is a worry for tenants, owners and property industry professionals. But how do you identify past production, or smoking, of meth, heroin or cannabis at a property and whether there are potential health risks as a result? We’ve been working with WA’...

A Rivervale builder has been fined $1,000 for misleading conduct after understating a project’s value by two-thirds on insurance documents and a building permit application. Matteo Daqui (BC/BP 9459) was contracted to provide roofing, renovation and painting services at a Leeming home in June 2018. The final account for all the work was $106,718. However, an investigation by Building and Energy...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by over 19 cents per litre (cpl) to 148.5 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 10 September 2019, most Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 159.9 cpl (hiking by 30 cpl). Most BP sites are hiking their ULP price to 157.9 cpl, most Caltex...

Two people behind a concrete business have been fined $6,000 each by the Perth Magistrates Court and ordered to pay $7,215 in compensation to three consumers who paid deposits but did not receive any concrete supplies. Dufty Jack Minhinnick , the registered owner of Niche Concrete Services of Coodanup near Mandurah, and Belinda Louise McFarland (nee Rodda) , whose name was used to open the...

WorkSafe will conduct a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues with some of the highest risk pressure vessels in workplaces in WA. The program will continue throughout the 2019/20 financial year, and will focus on some of the State’s highest risk pressure vessels in both metropolitan and regional areas. WorkSafe Director Sally North said the inspection program was being conducted...

Western Australia’s employment of children laws in the Children and Community Services Act 2004 apply to all workplaces including temporary workplaces such as pop up retail outlets, mobile food vans, and amusement rides. If you own or manage a business or stall operating during the Perth Royal Show you need to know: 15 years old is the youngest a child can work on an amusement ride, including...

Consumer Protection WA has given its seal of approval to 270 Perth Royal Showbags after product safety inspectors checked about 1500 toys and novelty items that will be sold at the Claremont Showground. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard says the majority of toys and novelty items have been ticked off as safe for kids to have bags of fun with. “I’m pleased to announce that most...

Consumer Protection is offering some reassurances for residents of two WA retirement villages affected by the Settlers group of companies being placed into receivership. Administrators and receivers have been appointed to the company which operates a total of 463 units at Settlers Lakeside village in Ravenswood near Mandurah and Settlers Ridgewood Rise near Butler, as well as two villages in...

Major WA builder Dale Alcock Homes Pty Ltd (BC7309) and its nominated supervisor Dale Andrew Alcock (BP7184) have been fined a total of $10,000 in relation to a defective concrete slab that ultimately led to a decision to demolish and reconstruct a Woodvale house. The Building Services Board fined the company and Mr Alcock $5,000 each under WA’s building registration laws for failing to properly...

It has come to the attention of the Plumbers Licensing Board (the Board) that in a small number of cases plumbing apprentices who have completed their apprenticeships, and obtained the appropriate qualifications to apply for a plumbing tradespersons licence are continuing to work in the industry without obtaining the required licence to do so. This results in the former apprentice effectively...

DMIRS Industrial Inspectors have visited a number of café and restaurant business owners in the regional areas in recent weeks requesting employment records to check compliance with state employment laws. The unannounced compliance visits in Lancelin, Jurien Bay, Dongara, Geraldton, Three Springs and Moora focused on café and restaurant business in the state industrial relations system, which are...