Measurement standards and regulation are a critical part of Australia’s economy and standard of living. Accurate and reliable measurement is at the core of global trade. It supports market access and helps buyers and sellers trade with confidence.
Australia's current legislation supports consumer confidence in our measurement system. But it is prescriptive, lacks flexibility and does not support adopting new technology.
The reforms aim to help Australia keep pace with changing business practices as well as evolving measurement needs. This is vital to Australia’s economy and long-term competitiveness.
The new legislation will continue to support confidence in measuring across our economy - from food to health, energy to safety.
The legislation aims to:
- be more principles-based and flexible
- boost industry investment confidence
- make sure that consumers continue to get what they pay for
- continue giving a platform for businesses to operate on a level playing field.
These reforms follow an extensive public consultation process and review of the existing legislation that has been in place since the 1960s:
- NMI consulted between 2017 and 2020 with stakeholders who interact with the measurement system.
- Feedback from 6 discussion papers on Australia’s measurement framework informed the draft reform options.
- The reform options were available online for comment on the department’s consultation hub between 15 April and 14 May 2021.
Read more about the measurement law review and consultation process.
Reform details
The reforms aim to modernise measurement laws to help changing business practices and evolving needs.
The reforms seek to:
- Help industry commercialise new and emerging technologies and get them to market faster.
- Support measures to meet Australia's 2030 emissions reduction and 2050 net zero targets. This includes supporting electric vehicle charging infrastructure needs, and alternate fuel standards.
- Increase protections for buyers and sellers, including new coverage for services such as freight and waste collection.
Implementing the reforms
We are aiming for the revised legislation to be in place by April 2026. We will start communicating with stakeholders from mid-2024 onwards, as we support the transition.