Standards and conformance are the backbone of everyday life. They give confidence to consumers, certainty to business, and clarity to the scientific community. Not all products and services are developed to Australian Standards, this is normally voluntary. Standards Australia develops Australian standards but does not have a direct role in ensuring the compliance of products or services with these standards.
Australia has developed a world class standards and conformance infrastructure over many decades, aligned with our trading partners and responsive to our needs. Four key bodies work together with the Government to meet consumer needs, support domestic and export-orientated industries as well as investment:
- National Measurement Institute (NMI) responsible for metrology – the science of measurement;
- Standards Australia, responsible for the development of consensus based documentary standards;
- National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), responsible for the accreditation of testing laboratories; and
- Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand, responsible for the accreditation of certification bodies.
The publication Australia’s Standards and Conformance Infrastructure – An Essential Foundation explains the individual and combined contributions of key organisations, and places the Australian infrastructure in the regional and international framework.
Information on which products and services are mandatory is available on the ACCC Product Safety website.
CFA has representatives on the Standards Australia Technical Committees QR-010 Conformity assessment and QR-014 Compliance systems as well as the National Measurement Institute and the National Association of Testing Authorities.
CFA provides volunteer representatives on Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project; if you are interested in finding out more about the Project and/or becoming a volunteer CFA Standards Representative please contact the Standards Coordinator standards@consumeraction.org.