The Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission has today increased the state minimum wage and all pay rates in WA awards effective from the first pay period on or after 1 July 2021. The state minimum wage for adult employees (21 and over) will increase by 2.5% ($19 per week) to $779.00 per week. WA award rates of pay will also increase by 2.5%. Junior rates and rates for apprentices and...

Building Services Board’s $3,000 fine follows a SAT order to pay $20,000 Patio and alfresco project had 11 areas of defective work Value of work understated by almost $20,000 in building permit application The Building Services Board has fined a Duncraig building practitioner $3,000 after he carried out faulty patio work and provided incorrect details on a permit application. At its June meeting...

The average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) is set to increase by over 30 cents per litre (cpl) to 160.8 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers, if they can, to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Wednesday 23 June 2021, most branded retailers are hiking their ULP price: Coles Express hiking by up to 44 cpl up to 175.9 cpl; 7-Eleven and Caltex Woolworths...

Plumbing work on-the-job by pre-apprentices undertaking a Certificate II in Plumbing qualification In April 2021 the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s Building and Energy Division (Building and Energy) published advice regarding an anomaly in the Plumbers Licensing and Plumbing Standards Regulations 2000 (Plumbing Regulations). The anomaly was that the Plumbing Regulations did...

Travelling conmen offering to resurface bitumen driveways and car parks Work is usually sub-standard or incomplete and at an inflated price Warning to resist high pressure sales tactics and shop around A warning from Consumer Protection that ‘Bitumen Bandits’ are operating in WA’s South-West following reports that they are approaching local businesses in the area. A Myalup business paid the six...

If you’ve ever tried to compare health insurance or hotels to find the best deal, you will have likely encountered a commercial comparison site. While these services can be a useful tool, it’s important to make sure you know how these sites work before relying on a comparison to choose a service provider. Consumer Protection has received a higher number of enquiries and complaints about...

Planned changes for better regulation of private swimming pool fences Building and Energy’s decision paper follows an in-depth review and consultation Preparation work underway including draft amendments to Building Regulations Building and Energy has outlined 16 ways that the State Government intends to improve the regulatory requirements for private swimming pools and their safety barriers in...

Encroachment of a garage into neighbouring property not disclosed before sale Agent told about the issue during appraisal but forgot about it Warning to agents to improve efforts to discover and disclose facts Failing to disclose an encroachment issue prior to the sale of a Nedlands home has resulted in a real estate agency and its former Director being fined a total of $13,000 by the State...

Western Australia’s building regulator is reminding builders and their clients that any increases in the price of a home building contract must comply with legislation. The guidance from Building and Energy follows a sharp rise in enquiries from home owners about unexpected price increases to their fixed-price home building contracts, as well as about delays to building work. Building and Energy...

Winter is here, so consumers are being reminded to stay safe when using products like hot water bottles, which cause serious burns to hundreds of Australians each year. One of the most recent cases involved a 20-year-old man from Melbourne who was treated in hospital for second and third degree burns to his hands and thighs when a hot water bottle burst on his lap. A reason why hot water bottles...

The average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) is set to increase by over 31 cents per litre (cpl) to 159 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers, if they can, to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Wednesday 9 June 2021, most branded retailers are hiking their ULP price: Caltex/Ampol and Coles Express hiking by between 43-46 cpl up to 171.9 cpl; Caltex...

Wageline is marking one year since the launch of the WA long service leave calculator. Over the past year the long service leave calculator has proven to be a valuable tool for both employers and employees, with it being accessed over 74,000 times. The WA long service leave calculator provides an estimate of an employee’s long service leave entitlement when employment ends, for those covered by...