Consumer Protection

Australia may be home to the world’s largest lithium-ion battery, at South Australia’s Hornsdale Power Reserve, but it’s the smaller models that have prompted a reminder about how to safely handle, use and store them.

Consumer Protection and WA’s electrical safety regulator, Building and Energy, are aware of two incidents in WA this year in which e-cigarette batteries have ignited in the user’s pocket, causing significant burns. Similar explosions have tragically caused deaths overseas.

Would you pay for something you’re entitled to get for free? Buying an extended warranty on new whitegoods, electronics or even a car could mean you’re doing exactly that.

This is because products are automatically guaranteed in a number of ways under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which may apply even after the warranty period has lapsed. 

As rents rise across Western Australia, many tenants may discover that in addition to paying more weekly rent, there is a further expense being asked of them.

When rent is increased at a property, a landlord or property manager may request the tenant pay extra money to ‘top-up’ their security bond.

ASIC has today released an information sheet for providers of debt management services that explains their new regulatory obligations, including the requirement to be licensed.

The National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Debt Management Services) Regulations 2021 (Regulations), made on 29 April 2021, prescribe certain debt management services as a ‘credit activity’ for the purposes of the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (National Credit Act).

Witnessing the effects food additives had on her own children inspired a Western Australian mother to create a movement that has been recognised in this year’s Consumer Protection Awards.

Francine Bell of Additive Free Kids (AFK) won the 2021 Rona Okely Award for individuals in recognition of her tireless efforts to educate consumers about additives and how to make additive-free choices.

Dogs and cats are like family members to many Western Australians, but it’s not always easy for an animal-loving tenant to find a pet-friendly landlord.   

Compounding this issue currently is WA’s tight rental market, with animal shelters reporting large numbers of pets being surrendered by renters unable to find a property willing to accommodate them.  

In WA currently, tenants wanting to keep pets on the premises must seek permission from the landlord, who is not required to provide grounds for refusing the request.

• A legal service and head of Additive Free Kids win Consumer Protection Awards
• Advocate for a swimming pool ban at family day care takes out safety category
• Nine News wins media award for investigation into the tow truck industry in WA

A community legal centre that specialises in women’s rights and justice, a campaigner for additive-free food for children, an advocate for banning swimming pools at family day care services and a Nine News reporter have all won a Consumer Protection Award for 2021.

Western Australia can be a land of extremes – a fact we were reminded of recently when a bushfire devastated communities in Perth’s east and flooding swept the state’s Gascoyne region.

The twin events are an unfortunate reminder for tenants and landlords to be aware of their rights and responsibilities should a rental property become damaged or destroyed in a disaster.

When a rental home in WA is damaged, the landlord is legally responsible for necessary repairs and maintenance to bring the property back to a liveable condition.

While there are many success stories of people falling in love after meeting online, there are also some very sad tales involving victims of romance scams.

Australians reported losing more than $38 million to romance scammers in 2020, the majority of which was lost through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. In WA last year, 72 victims reported losing $2.17 million – an average loss of $30,000 each.