Standards Australia
Standards Australia is the peak standards-setting organisation in Australia. Its standards are used throughout the manufacturing, electrical, health and retailing industries. Many standards are referenced in legislation and they are vital components of effective consumer protection mechanisms in Australia. Each standard is developed through a committee process, involving representatives of industry, government and other sectors, who have a particular interest or expertise in the issues in question.
Consumer input on standard-setting committees is vital to ensure that the standards meet the requirements for appropriate consumer protection, particularly in relation to product safety, access to essential services and corporate policies.
Accordingly, Standards Australia funds Consumer Action to manage the Standards Project, to ensure that consumer interests are represented on standards-setting committees. Consumer Action manages the Standards Project on behalf of the Consumers' Federation of Australia.
As at February 2005, the Standards Project has 38 consumer representatives who sit on 61 Standards committees.
Areas of interest to consumers have expanded in recent years, and consumers are now involved in the development of standards for environmental management, information technology and financial planning. Committee vacancies are published on the Consumers’ Federation of Australia website. Our priority is always to find a representative who is a strong consumer advocate, able to consider the consumer perspective at all times and to put this perspective across through their participation.
Those wanting to join a standards committee as a consumer representative, or who would like information about draft standards or new and existing committees, should contact the Standards Project Coordinator, Jo Higginson.