Button battery safety warning, by Product Safety Australia
Every week, around 20 Australian children present to an emergency department following exposure to button batteries, including ingestions and insertions. Keep products with button batteries out of sight and out of reach of small children. Button...
Consumer Protection is seeking community feedback about whether new laws should be introduced to regulate boarding and lodging in WA. Status: CLOSED , Friday 30 June 2017 Background Boarders and lodgers are currently not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act , although boarding premises...
In one year in Australia, 1668 people aged 65 years and over were hospitalised because they fell from a ladder. Sixty-two per cent of those injuries occurred in or around their home. Ladder related injuries among men aged 65 years and older is steadily increasing in Australia. The national...
Consumer Protection contact centre Consumer Protection's contact centre provides “on-the-spot” information, advice and assistance about scams and general issues in the marketplace, particularly consumer and trader rights and responsibilities. Phone: 1300 304 054 TTY: (08) 9282 0800 email WA ScamNet...
Thousands of people with all types of disability regularly travel by air. However, you may not know what to expect, particularly if it is your first time flying or you are travelling on a different airline. Service and travel procedures may vary between airlines and airports. Planning your travel...
Important electrical safety message from the Director of Energy Safety To the Home Owners Dear Sir / Madam No RCD means no second chance Residual current devices (RCDs) are the single most effective measure to prevent electrocutions, serious electrical injuries and fires. The circuit breakers and...
Consumer reviews and testimonials are increasingly being relied upon by consumers as a low cost means of making an informed purchasing decision, especially online. Reviews may be written about a business’ goods or services or about a business or brand itself. As long as the integrity of those...
Did you know, you can purchase or be given a second-hand cot that does not meet current safety standards ? Product Safety Australia issues the mandatory standards for cots to help prevent accidents. Second-hand cots have been associated with fatal injuries in children under 12 months old. Young...
Consumer Protection is seeking industry views on the final draft of the new Settlement Agents Code of Conduct 2016. Status : CLOSED Friday 20 May 2016 Background The new code, will replace the existing Settlement Agents’ Code of Conduct 1982 ( the 1982 Code) and implements feedback previously...
Any reference to AS 3959 is to be taken as Australian Standard AS 3959:2018 – (Incorporating Amendment No. 1) – Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas as referenced in National Construction Code (NCC 2019). 1. What are the bush fire building requirements? The Building Act 2011 and...
This consultation CLOSED on Monday 27 August 2018. New fitness code published The Fair Trading (Fitness Industry Code) Regulations 2020 (WA) (that contain the new Fitness Industry Code) were...
What's your bag plan?, by Department of Water and Environment
What's your bag plan?, by Department of Water and Environment What's your bag plan? As of 1 July 2018, lightweight plastic bags are banned in Western Australia,...
Consumer Protection is concerned that some WA retailers are referring customers with warranty claims to the manufacturer when it is their responsibility under consumer law. There have been a high...
New regulations have come into effect which requires electricity to be switched off before people enter the roof space. To assist workers in notifying homeowners of the new regulations the WorkSafe...
We want you to have a safe, happy and healthy winter. Many winter products can be unsafe if they are old, faulty or used incorrectly. Follow our safety messages and keep up-to-date on the latest...
The Consumer Protection Compliance and Enforcement Policy was reviewed and updated in October 2020. This policy replaces the Consumer Protection Enforcement and Prosecution Policy. Consumer...
More information about Consumer Protection activities can be found in our year in review reports and on individual cases by reading the associated media statement.
The Australian Government sought views on options to improve outcomes and protections for consumers who participate in the Gift card market. Status: Closed Wednesday 30 May 2018. Background In...
Summary: Consultation Draft of the Fair Trading (Pre-paid Funerals Code of Practice) Regulations 2018 The new code of conduct to start 1 March 2021 A new code of conduct has been released and will...
Egg Labelling factsheet The Commonwealth Government has introduced an Information Standard under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) for all egg producers that prescribes their obligations when...
Removalist fined $3,000 for falsely claiming membership of industry association Association’s logo and statement appeared on two identical business websites False affiliation claims detrimental to consumers and the industry representative A $3,000 fine has been handed to a Brabham removalist by the Perth Magistrates Court for making a false claim that his business was affiliated with a...
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 3 November 2021), the average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by more than...
Plumbers assessed customers’ switchboards without an electrical licence Magistrate notes offensive conduct, sales tactics and vulnerable victims Pair employed by a large Perth plumbing, gas and electrical company The “scam” conduct of two licensed plumbers who provided unqualified electrical advice was “morally offensive” as it involved vulnerable victims and sales tactics, according to a Perth...
Winter is here, so consumers are being reminded to stay safe when using products like hot water bottles, which cause serious burns to hundreds of Australians each year. One of the most recent cases involved a 20-year-old man from Melbourne who was treated in hospital for second and third degree burns to his hands and thighs when a hot water bottle burst on his lap. A reason why hot water bottles...
If you’re gearing up to buy a used car, you might be thinking about whether to go through a private seller rather than a licensed dealership. While buying a vehicle privately can be cheaper, it also offers less security, so it’s important to know what steps to take to avoid ending up with a lemon or being scammed out of your money altogether. Consumer Protection has published a new video covering...
Tenancy toolkit uses imagery to assist visual storytelling of complex legal issues The aim is to improve the understanding of tenancy laws and processes Aboriginal and culturally linguistically diverse communities to be targeted A major effort to improve the understanding of renting rights in vulnerable communities has been launched with the release of a specially-designed educational toolkit...
With ghoulish costumes, sweet treats galore and frightfully fun decorations, Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australia over the last decade. So if you’re planning some Halloween fun with your family on 31 October, there are some things you can do to prevent it turning into Halloween hell. If you want to add some extra ghoul to your family’s costumes with fake tattoos, face paint,...
Failed to comply with official order to rectify driveway work and damage $5,000 fine plus $368.50 in costs Magistrate noted need to deter substandard work and encourage confidence A Woodvale concreter who ignored a Building Commissioner’s order to rectify driveway work and damage has been fined $5,000 following a prosecution by Building and Energy. Thomas John Sharkey pleaded guilty to breaching...
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 20 October 2021), the average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by more than...
Dangers lurk in some products used in celebrations of the popular event Button batteries, flammable clothing and cosmetic allergies of concern Tips to stay safe and prevent Halloween nightmares Avoid unwanted frights or serious surprises this Halloween by checking that costumes, decorations and novelties are safe. While many children and their families look forward to the fun celebration of...
