Consumer Protection

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.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection, David Hillyard

Families, friends and the rural communities in which they live are mourning the deaths of two boys aged under ten who lost their lives recently in separate quad bike accidents in WA and Tasmania. The tragic accidents occurred on farms and involved rollovers, a common set of circumstances when we look at the statistics.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Winter is here and the colder temperatures mean products designed to keep us warm are coming out of storage or being purchased. We want you to carefully check electric blankets, hot water bottles and other winter items are in good condition and have not been recalled before you use them. 

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe

A super bargain promoted via an online pop-up or social media advertisement is just like an enticing shop window display with ‘sale’ signs. It can be hard to pass up the chance of big discounts or low prices but digital impulse buying may mean you get nothing in return for your money.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Did you know you’ll pay more when buying foreign cash at the airport than at any other location? Also debit or credit cards are usually the cheapest option for buying things overseas.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) research, to help us with foreign money purchase decisions, found:

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Did you know that currently when you build a home in Western Australia, such as a one or two storey house, there are no mandatory inspections during, or at the end of, construction?

In a recent social media survey run on Consumer Protection’s Facebook page, 55% of respondents wrongly thought local government WAS required to carry out inspections of home building work during construction of single residential dwellings.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Seeing the recent bushfires is horrifying for most of us and we just want to help somehow. But unfortunately scammers see it as an opportunity to impersonate charities, or create fake charities. This can happen online, via social media or website pop-ups, or in person, such as at your front door or on the street.

It’s doubly cruel because not only does it con the donor out of their money, it also denies the true cause much-needed funds for those truly affected.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

It’s been more than 10 years since Western Australia’s tenancy laws were reviewed and times have certainly changed. So, Consumer Protection is set to review the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and we are going to want to hear from you.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

I remember the first time we held the Consumer Protection Awards in 2004 and I’m proud that the annual event has become firmly fixed in the Western Australian calendar as an opportunity to acknowledge community contributions to consumer protection.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe

Aside from your home, your car is likely to be your biggest asset. Unlicensed motor vehicle dealers can pose a huge, unnecessary risk to your vehicle and to the safety of your family. Buying a vehicle from an unlicensed dealer increases the risk of it being substandard, dangerous and possibly unroadworthy. By engaging the services of an unlicensed dealer, you may also be foregoing your consumer rights to a remedy on the vehicle if something goes wrong.