In August, 2026 , I visited a car yard in Kenwick, WA, excited to be purchasing purchase my first ever 4x4 van. After finalizing the paperwork, I drove away feeling elated, only for my joy to be short-lived as the vehicle would not start the next morning. It had to be jump started.  The vehicle required jump starting every time I needed to use the vehicle, which I did for the first few days. This was most frustrating so I purchased a new battery and had it installed .Upon further inspection, by an independent 4x4 mechanic the vehicle was found to be unroadworthy. I had been sold unroadworthy vehicle that had a unroadworthy battery. A reliable battery is something I presumed would be standard in any functioning vehicle purchase. To add insult to injury, when I returned the vehicle to the car yard,  requesting a refund  the dealership had the audacity to claim my new battery as their property and has refused to reimburse me for it  nor will they allow me to remove it from the vehicle.

This experience isn't just an inconvenience—it's a breach of consumer trust. Many consumers are unaware that car yards often exploit vague loopholes in sales agreements, leaving buyers without recourse when issues arise. Statistics show that almost 15% of used car buyers in Australia face similar issues with car dealerships, affecting thousands of consumers each year. Sadly, the process through institutions like the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) often takes many months, leaving buyers in limbo.

It is imperative that we enforce stricter regulations on car yards to ensure they cannot sell vehicles that are not roadworthy. Moreover, car dealers should be mandated to provide a detailed checklist of the vehicle's condition and agree to specific standards that must be met before the sale is finalized. Legislation should also be amended to guarantee swift action by consumer protection agencies, allowing for more expedient resolution of such issues.

I am calling on the Western Australian government to enforce penalties on car yards that flout these standards and provide stronger consumer protections for vehicle buyers. This is not just about one faulty battery but about protecting every buyer's right to a fair deal.

Please join me in urging officials to take immediate and meaningful action to regulate car yards more effectively and protect future buyers from dishonest practices. Sign this petition and help us demand justice for consumers across Western Australia