WorkSafe has issued a safety alert reminding painting professionals and other contractors that high pressure water cleaning of asbestos cement material is prohibited. WorkSafe is investigating an incident where a registered painter used a high pressure water cleaner on an asbestos cement roof to prepare it for painting. This resulted in the property and neighbouring properties being contaminated...

In December 2018 Mr Darren Kavanagh was appointed the WorkSafe Western Australia Commissioner. Mr Kavanagh commences this role with a high level of knowledge and experience gained from more than 20 years working in occupational safety and health, in both National and State legislative jurisdictions. His extensive career in occupational safety and health has included appointment as a member of the...

A dealership which specialised in selling luxury motor vehicles on consignment and its Director have been fined a total of $90,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court for breaking laws designed to protect consumers. Luxuride Pty Ltd , formerly of West Perth, was fined $70,000 and Director Nicholas Ngo was fined $20,000 on 12 December 2018 and ordered to pay $5,000 in costs. Mr Ngo did not attend the...

Consumer Protection is urging tenants and landlords in WA to check for unclaimed bond money amounting to a total of almost $1.5 million. The bond money relates to 4,887 tenancies that came to an end between January 2007 and December 2010. The bonds were not paid out for a variety of reasons: Disposal forms submitted were missing signatures; Monies left in dispute of whom it is to be paid to;...

A former builder has been fined $2,500 by the Building Services Board (BSB) for not following approved plans and understating the contract value of a project in Dianella. Ian Robert Jack – formerly of Quinns Rocks and now living interstate – was a registered building practitioner and building contractor (BP101026 / BC100827, since expired) in 2016 when he signed a $243,000 contract to construct a...

If you are working or employing during the end of year period and you fall under the state industrial relations system it is important to understand public holiday entitlements and obligations. This season's public holidays are: Christmas Day, Tuesday 25 December 2018 Boxing Day, Wednesday 26 December 2018 New Year's Day, Tuesday 1 January 2019 Under the Hairdressers Award, Tuesday 25 December...

The following statement was issued by Hon Bill Johnston MLA, Minister for Commerce and Industrial Relations, on Tuesday 11 December 2018: John Fiocco's review of security of payment reform for WA subcontractors released Government will carefully consider all 44 recommendations The McGowan Government today released John Fiocco's final report on Security of Payment Reform in the WA Building and...

The Building Services Board has imposed fines totalling $12,000 in relation to a Mandurah short-stay accommodation development where substantial construction took place without a building permit. The builder, Kerry George Parsons (BP/BC4277) of Jandakot, submitted a building permit application to the City of Mandurah in March 2016 for the five-unit waterfront development valued at $400,000. The...

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 20 cents per litre (cpl) to 139.2 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 11 December 2018, most Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 144.9 cpl (increasing by 27 cpl). Most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 143.9 cpl, most...

If you are working or employing during the end of year period and you fall under the state industrial relations system it is important to understand public holiday entitlements and obligations. This season's public holidays are: Christmas Day, Tuesday 25 December 2018 Boxing Day, Wednesday 26 December 2018 New Year's Day, Tuesday 1 January 2019. Under the Restaurant, Tearoom and Catering Workers...

A spike in reports of Western Australians losing money to the tax debt scam has prompted Consumer Protection to issue an alert in an effort to reduce the mounting losses. So far this year, 21 victims have reported to WA ScamNet losing a total of $78,250 with 11 victims losing $38,800 just last month. The highest single loss was $10,200. Most were ordered to pay their supposed tax debt by...

A former Myaree builder has been fined $10,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal for failing to properly manage and supervise three projects with a combined contract value of almost $2 million. Geoffrey Ian Britton (BP11802, expired) – the nominated supervisor of Avon Dream Pty Ltd (BC14034, expired), trading as Econstruct – accepted the Building Services Board’s allegations, which included...