Truth in advertising Consumer Protection continues to receive a number of complaints about representations builders are making in their marketing material. The issues highlighted in this article relate to house and land packages, often where the builder does not own the land. Consumer Protection published its concerns about the advertising of house and land packages in 2013, and while industry...

Renters, landlords and real estate agents in Western Australian have all emerged as winners as a result of the new electronic transaction process for lodging and returning tenancy bonds. Bonds Online was introduced by Consumer Protection in August 2015 where bonds could be electronically lodged with the Bonds Administrator. The system was further developed to provide for eTransactions – aimed at...

A young businessman who supplied black tie waiters for private functions has been ordered by the Perth Magistrates Court to pay almost $7,500 in fines, compensation and costs for taking payments from clients but failing to turn up. 20 year old Tyson John Vacher , who operated Black Tie Waiters (deregistered) from his Carramar home, was fined $1,000 each on four charges of accepting payment but...

A roofing company has been fined $70,000 (and ordered to pay costs of $1369) after a labourer was seriously injured in a fall through a skylight. Round Table Roofing Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment and, by that failure, causing serious harm to a person, and was fined in the Fremantle Magistrates Court yesterday. In September 2015, Round Table...

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 21 cents per litre (cpl) to 136.4 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 5 September 2017, most Caltex and Caltex Woolworths sites are increasing their ULP price to 142.9 cpl (increasing 28 cpl and 29 cpl, respectively). Most 7-Eleven, BP, Coles...

The Building Commission has confirmed that testing found no asbestos-containing building products and materials supplied by Yuanda Australia in its general inspection of 13 Western Australian buildings.

Consumer Protection is advising consumers in the Mid-West region, who may be out of pocket after the closure of a Geraldton restaurant, to come forward and lodge a complaint. The Port View Restaurant in Marine Terrace has closed its doors and it’s believed there may be consumers who have unused gift vouchers or may have paid a deposit on functions at the venue. Senior regional officer for...

Premier Mark McGowan on Sunday 27 August 2017 announced an increase of penalties for workplace safety offences to bring Western Australia into line with other states and ensure penalties better reflect the importance of a safe workplace. Media statement

A crane operator and partner in a crane business has been fined $15,000 (and ordered to pay $3,577 in costs) over an incident in which he caused a dogman to suffer electrical burns when he operated the crane too close to power lines. Bradley David Lemmon, as a partner in the firm Mobicrane WA, pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe work environment for employees and was fined in...

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Consumer Protection welcomes the release of a new guide for ticket-buyers by Live Performance Australia. We regularly receive complaints from people who have searched online for tickets to an event such as a concert, sports match or festival only to inadvertently purchase tickets from an unauthorised reseller. This can leave the...

WorkSafe will soon begin a proactive inspection program to look at the management of violence and aggression in residential aged care facilities. Beginning next month, the program will focus on reducing musculoskeletal and psychological injuries due to workplace violence. It will continue over the following six months in metropolitan and regional areas of the State. WorkSafe A/Director Sally...

A Wangara patio tradesman who took payments from consumers but failed to do the work has been ordered to pay a total of $27,975 in fines, compensation and costs by the Perth Magistrates Court. Nicholas Charles Gudden , trading as Exclusive Patios , pleaded guilty to three charges of contravening the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) by wrongly accepting payment and failing to provide goods and...