A Standard is a published document which sets specifications and procedures designed to ensure that a material, product, method or service is fit for its purpose and consistently performs the way it was intended to.
Standards are the common demoninator in countless daily business transactions and can offen set out a minimum level of safety for products we come into contact with during the course of our day.
Early Standards were focused on physical products, design, installation and testing. Recently there has been significant growth in the number of business and systems Standards.
Mandatory Standards in Australia
Helping to ensure consumer safety is obviously of paramount importance. Achieving this is very much a partnership between government, industry, Standards bodies and consumers and the same can be said for the development and enforcement of the Federal Government's 25 mandatory standards.
Government participates extensively in the self-regulation of products and only regulates standards when they feel it necessary. The Federal Government, through the Treasury's Consumer, Competition and Policy Division and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [ACCC], play an integral role in the development policy and enforcement of standards in Australia.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [ACCC] are responsible for enforcing the 25 mandatory consumer product safety standards. (more information)
Governments at both State and Federal levels rely heavily on Standards to inform legislation and Standards are an essential part of the safety network in Australia. However, a State or Territory may have its own product safety standards. For information about how State and Territory laws are linked to Federal laws and voluntary Standards please access the following links:
- Consumer Affairs Division of Treasury
- ACT Consumer Affairs Bureau
- Department of Fair Trading (NSW)
- Consumer & Business Affairs Victoria
- Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (SA)
- Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (WA)
- Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading (NT)
- Consumer Affairs & Fair Trading (TAS)
Information on product safety and standards is also available on the ACCC website It is a good idea to check the website regularly for new developments in mandatory product safety standards.