Announcements

Showing 1776 - 1800 of 2243 results

Commissioner's Blog: Unsupervised bath time puts children at risk

Baby bath aids such as plastic recliners, cradles or seats, have become increasingly popular with parents as they provide support for babies and young children in the bath. But it is important to remember that they are not safety devices or a substitute for adult supervision and support. Children have drowned while using a bath aid as they can easily slip off and become submerged under water, tip...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Oct 2018

Scammers use cute puppy pics to lure their victims

Losses suffered by WA scam victims are mounting after they were conned into paying for puppies that don’t exist. Fake advertisements are appearing on websites, online trading sites and social media platforms that feature cute photos and cheap prices, making them irresistible to puppy buyers. So far this year 28 consumers have reported losing a total of $51,000. In 2017, 42 people reported losing...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Oct 2018

Fine against south-west builder follows $23,000 payment – Mark Anthony Wells (BC12740) trading as Mark Wells Designs

A Cowaramup-based builder has been fined $1,500 by the Building Services Board for not complying with an order to rectify issues at a property near Mandurah. The recent penalty against Mark Anthony Wells (BC12740), trading as Mark Wells Designs, follows a separate payment of more than $23,000 last year in relation to the same property. During 2016, the owner of the Madora Bay home identified...
Building and Energy
Media release
11 Oct 2018

Fine for unlicensed motor vehicle dealer (Fadel Ali)

An unlicensed motor vehicle dealer has been fined $1,200 and ordered to pay costs of $205 by the Perth Magistrates Court after pleading guilty on 5 October 2018. Fadel Ali of Langford had bought and sold 24 motor vehicles between August 2016 and March 2018 without a licence, in breach of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said unlicensed dealing...
Consumer Protection
Media release
10 Oct 2018

Plumbing reforms update

On 1 May 2018, the Building and Energy Division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (Building and Energy) released a Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (CRIS) to seek public comment on the final round of reforms arising from the 2013/14 review of plumbing regulation in Western Australia. The CRIS contained 21 proposals, including: The introduction of a new funding...
Building and Energy
Department News
09 Oct 2018

Tougher penalties for workplaces

Penalties for breaches of Western Australia’s workplace health and safety laws increased from 3 October 2018. The new penalties are consistent with the national model Work Health and Safety Act (Model Act), with a further 14 per cent increase for inflation since 2010. Examples for a first offence by a body corporate include: Level 1 penalties increase from $50,000 to $450,000. Level 4 penalties...
WorkSafe
Department News
08 Oct 2018

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 14 cents per litre (cpl) to 163.9 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 9 October 2018, all Coles Express and most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 167.9 cpl (an increase of between 18 and 19 cpl). Most Puma, BP and Caltex Woolworths...
Consumer Protection
Media release
08 Oct 2018

Toppling furniture Bill to be introduced to Parliament

Tenants will be allowed to affix furniture to walls, preventing them from toppling over New laws introduced following the tragic death of Reef Kite The McGowan Government will introduce the Consumer Protection Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 to State Parliament this week, which will provide better protections to residential tenants and their children. Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act...
Consumer Protection
Media release
07 Oct 2018

New regulations to improve the safe use of combustible cladding

The McGowan Government has introduced building regulations to restrict the use of combustible material on building facades of high-risk buildings. The new building regulations prevent the use of performance solutions by restricting the use of combustible cladding to those that can demonstrate compliance under the Building Code of Australia’s (BCA) new verification method. This method also...
Building and Energy
Media release
06 Oct 2018

Compliance campaign results in over $15,000 in unpaid wages returned to workers in nail and beauty industry

Private Sector Labour Relations Division industrial inspectors have recently conducted a proactive compliance campaign focused on small businesses in the nail and beauty industry. As part of the compliance campaign, 50 state system nail and beauty salons had their employment records analysed by industrial inspectors to ensure that employees are being paid correctly and that the mandatory...
Labour Relations
Department News
05 Oct 2018

Concern about the cost to consumers of cancelling car contracts

Upcoming changes to pre-estimated liquidated damages From 1 January 2022, the maximum amount of pre-estimated liquidated damages that a dealer may charge will reduce from 15 per cent to five per cent. Consumer Protection is concerned about reports of significant charges being imposed by dealers on WA consumers who cancel motor vehicle purchase contracts. Under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, the...
Consumer Protection
Media release
02 Oct 2018

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 13 cents per litre (cpl) to 160.7 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 2 October 2018, all Coles Express sites are hiking their ULP price to 165.9 cpl (an increase of 20 cpl). Most Caltex sites are hiking their ULP price to 163.9 cpl, most Puma...
Consumer Protection
Media release
01 Oct 2018

Perth car dealer loses $65,000 to an invoice payment scam

A Perth motor vehicle dealership has lost $65,000 after being stung by a ‘man in the middle’ scam involving the payment of an invoice to a bank account that had been changed. The dealership recently made a purchase from a supplier and received an invoice with correct bank details. A week later an email request, sent by scammers, was received asking to direct the funds to a new bank account. The...
Consumer Protection
Media release
27 Sep 2018

Spring into action on electrical safety: time to test RCDs

With a new season underway, the State’s energy safety regulator is urging home and business owners to do a simple check of their residual current devices (RCDs) – the compulsory life-saving switches that protect against electrocution. RCDs instantly stop the electricity supply when they detect a fault, such as when a person receives an electric shock. The rapid response is designed to protect...
Building and Energy
Media release
26 Sep 2018

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 13 cents per litre (cpl) to 158.3 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 25 September 2018, all Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 163.9 cpl (an increase of 20 cpl). Most Caltex Woolworths, Puma, BP and Caltex sites are increasing...
Consumer Protection
Media release
24 Sep 2018

Motor vehicle repairer has certificate revoked for failing to meet condition (Stephen Jeffrey Sokol)

A motor vehicle repairer has been disqualified from holding a certificate by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) and ordered to pay costs of $500 after failing to meet an important condition placed on his certificate by Consumer Protection. Stephen Jeffrey Sokol of Aveley had breached the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act by failing to comply with a condition to provide Consumer Protection with a...
Consumer Protection
Media release
21 Sep 2018

Extra hours of Christmas retail trading for Perth shoppers

The McGowan Government has approved extended retail trading hours, giving Perth shoppers extra hours to complete their Christmas shopping this season. From Monday December 17, shops can choose to open from 7am on weekdays including Christmas Eve. From December 9, shoppers will have an extra four hours each Sunday to do their Christmas shopping, with shops able to open at 8am and close at 6pm...
Consumer Protection
Media release
21 Sep 2018

End of four month transitional period for Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas 2018

The four month transitional period that delayed the application of the bush fire construction requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) for areas that were newly identified as bush fire prone on the Map of Bush Fire Prone Areas 2018 (that came into operation on 1 June 2018) concludes on Sunday 30 September 2018. From Monday 1 October 2018, applications for building approvals for...
Building and Energy
Department News
21 Sep 2018

Councils step up on pool inspections for child safety

Local governments are working to clear a backlog of inspections of private pool safety barriers in the wake of an Ombudsman Western Australia report on children drowning. The law requires that WA local councils inspect private pools in their jurisdiction at least once every four years to ensure they have complying fences or other safety barriers. In last year’s investigation report on ways to...
Building and Energy
Media release
20 Sep 2018

Perth car dealer prevented from selling on consignment after being charged (Xoticar / PAG (WA) Pty Ltd / Myhung Nguyen / Zeljko Grujin)

A Perth car dealership which specialises in selling vehicles on consignment as well as a salesperson involved in managing the business have been banned by Consumer Protection from conducting consignment sales. The move to restrict the licences to prevent consignment sales comes as charges are to be heard against the company, its Director and the employee/manager. PAG (WA) Pty Ltd , trading as...
Consumer Protection
Media release
20 Sep 2018

Queen's Birthday public holiday 2018

This year the Queen’s Birthday public holiday in Western Australia will be held on Monday 24 September 2018. Some regional areas in Western Australia hold the Queen's Birthday public holiday on an alternative date, usually to coincide with a significant date or event for that area. Visit the Regional Dates for the Queen's Birthday public holiday page on the Wageline website for details.
Labour Relations
Department News
20 Sep 2018

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 14 cents per litre (cpl) to 156.8 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 18 September 2018, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 161.9 cpl (an increase of 16 cpl). Most Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 160.9 cpl,...
Consumer Protection
Media release
17 Sep 2018

Employment essentials for the Perth Royal Show

Labour Relations
Department News
17 Sep 2018

Legal restrictions on massage business owner in Narrogin (Bon Levi / Bikini Girls Massage)

Consumer Protection wants the WA community to be aware that there are legal restrictions applying to the owner of a Narrogin massage business as a result of a Supreme Court order which was made permanent on 21 January 2011. The order, originally issued on 25 November 2010, requires the Commissioner for Consumer Protection to pre-approve any recruitment advertisements before they are posted by Bon...
Consumer Protection
Media release
13 Sep 2018

Bags of fun at Perth Royal Show after successful safety checks

Children will be spoilt for choice when more than 260 showbags go on sale at this year's Perth Royal Show, following a product safety tick of approval from Consumer Protection. Each year, the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA) invites Consumer Protection inspectors to conduct the pre-show checks, ensuring the showbags' toys and novelties meet Australian product safety...
Consumer Protection
Media release
12 Sep 2018

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