Consumer Protection

If you’ve ever been frustrated by an extra fee appearing when you pay with a credit or debit card, there’s some good news on that front. A ban on card surcharges is now in effect, meaning consumers will no longer pay additional fees when using Visa, Mastercard or eftpos networks.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced the changes in March, after a review found that card surcharges had become increasingly difficult for consumers to avoid, as card payments are now the most common way Australians pay for everyday goods and services.

• Woman fined $5,000 for unlicensed motor vehicle dealing
• Sold at least 30 vehicles without a dealer’s licence
• Case linked to earlier illegal car dealing prosecution 

A Western Australian woman involved in a large-scale illegal vehicle trading operation has been fined $5,000 after admitting to operating as an unlicensed motor vehicle dealer.

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. Drivers are also urged to only purchase the fuel they need to fill their vehicles, not to stockpile. 

FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 7 October 2026), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 14.2 cents per litre (cpl) to 244.3 cpl with EG Ampol and BP up to 259.9 cpl; Ampol up to 255.9 cpl; Caltex up to 253.9 cpl; and 7-Eleven and Shell Reddy Express up to 249.9 cpl.

Western Australians will have more time to shop this Christmas with extended retail trading hours approved across the Perth metropolitan area, amid a warning about online shopping, marketplace and parcel delivery scams. 

As households prepare for the busy shopping period, the State Government is reminding consumers that scammers are expected to ramp up their efforts during major sales events and the lead-up to Christmas.  

• Duo fined $170,000 for illicit scheme involving unregistered, written off vehicles
• Nearly 600,000km wiped off the odometers of four vehicles
• One of WA’s largest cases involving unlicensed car dealing

Two individuals have been fined $240,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court for engaging in illegal activities with written-off vehicles.

As the weather warms up, many homeowners start thinking about ants, spiders, termites and other unwelcome visitors. But before you sign up a pest-controller, it’s worth doing a little homework as these services don’t always go to plan.

Consumer Protection has received complaints regarding pest control providers often involving ineffective treatments, poor workmanship, or property damage.

The good news is you have rights under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). 

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. Drivers are also urged to only purchase the fuel they need to fill their vehicles, not to stockpile. 

FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 30 September 2026), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 12 cents per litre (cpl) to 238.5 cpl with Caltex up to 251.9 cpl; Ampol, EG Ampol, 7-Eleven and BP up to 249.9 cpl; and Shell Reddy Express up to 239.9 cpl.

Families going to the 2026 Perth Royal Show are being reminded to stay vigilant when purchasing toys, prizes and novelty items with product safety inspectors returning to monitor compliance with mandatory safety standards. 

The annual Consumer Protection inspections are designed to identify potentially unsafe products before they end up in the hands of children and ensure stallholders meet their obligations.

The sun is beginning to shine, and you might be thinking about your fitness goals or being a bit more active.

Maybe you’d like to join that gym you’ve been walking past, sign up for a fitness challenge with friends, try pilates or an outdoor boot camp, or book a few sessions with a personal trainer.

Whatever your fitness goal is, it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand your rights before you sign up to any memberships.

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. Drivers are also urged to only purchase the fuel they need to fill their vehicles, not to stockpile. 

FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 23 September 2026), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 12 cents per litre (cpl) to 239.3 cpl with 7-Eleven, EG Ampol, BP and Caltex hiking up to 249.9 cpl; Ampol up to 248.9 cpl; and Shell Reddy Express up to 240.9 cpl.