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 April and May 2021.