On 18 June 2019, amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996 (OSH Regulations) were Gazetted. The Occupational Safety and Health Amendment Regulations (No.2) 2019 makes changes to the definition of ‘commercial vehicle’ in regulation 3.130 of the OSH regulations. This brings drivers of all commercial and hire vehicles, including taxis within the scope of the fatigue...

A major Australian building company and its nominated supervisor have been fined a total of $32,000 after significant roof defects were discovered at two Perth homes. The State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) found that BGC Residential Pty Ltd (BC9769) and Thomas Edmund Starkey (BP14002) breached building registration laws by not properly managing and supervising a building service. In 2016, a...

A Mandurah real estate sales representative has been cautioned and fined $1,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal for failing to disclose important information regarding the sewerage of a home that he was selling. Jonathan Kenny-Levick was the co-owner of his home in Dawesville that he put on the market in January 2016 through his agency as the listing representative. At the time, the property...

An unauthorised withdrawal from a trust account has resulted in a Fremantle real estate agency being fined $3,000 and ordered to pay costs of $1,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal. Port City Pty Ltd , trading as Port City Real Estate , had withdrawn $4,735 from the trust account in July 2017 as a “break contract fee” in circumstances where its agreement with the client who had engaged the...

A Karrinyup builder has been formally cautioned over the roof construction at a $1.1 million home, which did not comply with approved plans and building standards. The Building Services Board found that Mulvay Pty Ltd (BC10975) and its nominated supervisor, Mark Anthony Mulvay (BP9892), breached WA’s building registration laws by not properly managing and supervising a building service. The two-...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by over 22 cents per litre (cpl) to 147.3 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 25 June 2019, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 156.9 cpl (hiking by up to 32 cpl). Most Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 154.9 cpl, most...

WorkSafe is conducting a proactive inspection program to look at safety issues in glass product manufacturing workplaces across WA. The program will continue until the end of the 2019/20 financial year, and will include glass product manufacturers in metropolitan and regional areas of the State. WorkSafe Director Chris Kirwin said today an inspection program was being undertaken in this area...

A Claremont property management agency has been reprimanded, fined $8,000 and ordered to pay costs of $2,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) on 13 June 2019 for trust account errors and other breaches of the law. Gemranch Nominees Pty Ltd , trading as TM Residential and Executive Leasing , had breached the Real Estate and Business Agents Act and the Code of Conduct for Agents and Sales...

An unlicensed motor vehicle dealer has been fined $5,000 and ordered to pay costs of $943.50 by the Perth Magistrates Court after pleading guilty on 10 June 2019. Daniel Alan Hodgins of Baldivis had purchased and sold 16 motor vehicles between April 2017 and July 2018 without a licence, in breach of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said unlicensed...

With the end of the financial year looming, Consumer Protection is warning WA taxpayers to be aware of scam attempts that usually accelerate over the next six months. Tax scams continue to take a large financial toll on Western Australians who are usually cold-called by criminals pretending to be from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and demanding a fictitious tax debt be paid immediately. In...

Home owners can be reassured that WA’s building regulator is taking action on standards, compliance and dispute resolution across the industry, according to retiring Building Commissioner Ken Bowron. Mr Bowron leaves Building and Energy (formerly the Building Commission and Energy Safety ) today after 10 years, including 18 months at the helm of the combined division within the Department of...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by 17 cents per litre (cpl) to 145.6 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 11 June 2019, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 155.9 cpl (hiking by 29 cpl). Most BP sites are increasing their ULP price to 154.9 cpl, most 7-Eleven sites to 153.9...