Consumer Protection

The McGowan Government's new tenancy laws to better protect tenants experiencing family and domestic violence have passed through State Parliament.

The passage of the Residential Tenancies Legislation Amendment (Family Violence) Bill will provide more options and greater support for those experiencing family and domestic violence.

The amendments are aimed at giving the victim better choices, including whether to stay in the tenancy or move to safer accommodation, or remove tenancy-related concerns, which are barriers to leaving a violent relationship.

Whether it’s a dog, cat, bird or fish, buying a pet is generally an exciting purchase, but if you’re buying a pet online, beware of pet sale scams.

Scammers have been using animals to get their paws on pet-buyers’ money for years. We’ve received reports of monetary loss from many heartbroken victims of online pet sale scams who paid for animals that never arrived.

Scam advertisements for pets are often found in:

Planning a trip and looking for someone to take care of the pets and water the plants? If you’re thinking about engaging a house or pet sitting agency, it’s important to understand the how-tos of hiring a sitter. 

The risks of hiring a dodgy house sitter were all too real for a Perth couple who returned from a five-week holiday to find the woman hired to stay with their dog had robbed them of jewellery and other belongings worth thousands of dollars and that their losses were not covered by insurance because the sitter was in the home with their consent.

Recent hikes in fuel prices have left many consumers searching for the best deal and trying to understand the reasons behind fluctuating prices.

The price of fuel, like other retail products, is market driven and the government does not set the price.

Consumer Protection operates the FuelWatch website which offers transparency in terms of what the prices at the pumps will do in the next 24 hours, so you can use this information to plan your fuel purchases and save cash.

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) is seeking passionate people who thrive in leadership roles and will take a collaborative approach to problem solving.

As a family-friendly employer, DMIRS offers a workplace that supports diversity and work-life balance. DMIRS has a priority to improve gender diversity within its leadership group, and therefore is particularly encouraging outstanding female leaders to register.

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) is conducting a stakeholder satisfaction survey to invite feedback on our services and our role as a regulator. The results will help DMIRS focus on business areas and services that need performance improvements.

If you subscribe to a DMIRS email newsletter or subscriber news service, you may be contacted by email and invited to take part in our 2019 Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey.

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard...

There are many pleasant things we associate with summer in Western Australia, such as barbecues and swimming, but unfortunately at Consumer Protection it’s a time when we hear of ‘bitumen bandits’ in the State.

‘Bitumen bandits’ turn up at homes and businesses without invitation and then offer to lay driveways at supposedly discounted prices; often claiming they have asphalt leftover from another job.

With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner Gary Newcombe

Due to their popularity at Halloween-time, I recently used my weekly Community News column to remind consumers to have their eyes open to the potential safety risk posed by short-term wear lenses that allow you to change your eye colour temporarily, or to display a fun pattern over your iris.

With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner Gary Newcombe

Complaining via social media – think before you tweet

In the past consumers who wanted others to know about their bad experience with a business would usually rely on word of mouth or perhaps a strongly worded letter to a newspaper editor but nowadays it’s commonplace for people to speak out on social media.

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Consumer Protection would like to remind Western Australians to protect themselves while shopping online and to know their consumer rights this Valentine’s Day.

February 14^th is seen by many as an opportunity to spoil loved ones. But if the flowers you ordered are not as described or don’t show up on time, or you are left with an empty wallet and nothing to show for it, you are unlikely to be feeling romantic.

Red roses shouldn’t be blue