There is a need to improve arrangements for the development of Australian Standards and the accreditation of laboratories in Australia, according to a report released by the Productivity Commission.

The report — Standard Setting and Laboratory Accreditation — examines the Australian Government's relationship with the two main non-government bodies in these areas: Standards Australia and the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).

Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald said: 'Overall, both Standards Australia and NATA are effective and their recognition by the Australian Government should continue. However, areas for improvement have been identified and changes to government funding arrangements are needed to better reflect the balance of private and public interests in their activities.'

With over 6 750 Australian Standards already in place, the Commission has identified the need for Standards Australia to improve its framework for standard setting, including by ensuring better justification processes before new standards are developed, implementing an improved appeals and complaints mechanism and balancing stakeholder representation on committees.

It has also called on governments to ensure rigorous cost benefit assessments are undertaken before referencing additional standards in regulation. Where standards are made mandatory by way of regulation, government agencies should provide funding to ensure free or low cost access to such standards.

The Commission has emphasised the importance of NATA and the Australian Government pursuing the mutual recognition of accredited laboratories internationally to facilitate trade. It has also called for the development of a more competitive market for the proficiency testing of laboratories.

Preliminaries
Cover, Copyright, Foreword, Terms of reference, Contents, Abbreviations, Key points, Overview, Recommendations

1 About this study
1.1 The Commission’s approach
1.2 The standards and conformance infrastructure
1.3 Guide to the report

2 Overarching issues
2.1 Why have standards and laboratory accreditation?
2.2 Policy issues
2.3 Summing up

STANDARD SETTING

3 The standards development infrastructure
3.1 Structure of the standards system
3.2 Standards Australia
3.3 Other bodies developing standards
3.4 International context
3.5 Conclusion

4 Standards Australia and the Australian Government
4.1 Governments’ relationship with Standards Australia
4.2 MoU and Deed of Agreement
4.3 Other MoUs and agreements
4.4 Conclusion

5 Overall assessment and status of Standards Australia
5.1 Overall assessment
5.2 Peak body status
5.3 Broadening the standards writing base
5.4 Standards Australia's relationship with SAI Global

6 Assessment: international
6.1 International collaboration
6.2 International alignment of standards

7 Assessment: the standards produced and access
7.1 Determining the need for standards and setting priorities
7.2 Regulatory standards
7.3 Access to and cost of standards
7.4 Compliance and conformity issues

8 Assessment: governance and processes
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Transparency and consensus
8.3 Technical expertise
8.4 Efficiency of project management and timeliness
8.5 Review processes
8.6 Appeals and complaints handling mechanism

9 The future relationship between the Australian Government and Standards Australia
9.1 Funding issues
9.2 How should the MoU be changed?

LABORATORY ACCREDITATION

10 Laboratory accreditation infrastructure
10.1 Laboratory accreditation in the conformance infrastructure
10.2 The National Association of Testing Authorities
10.3 Other bodies involved in laboratory accreditation
10.4 International context
10.5 Related areas
10.6 Conclusion

11 NATA and the Australian Government
11.1 Governments’ relationship with NATA
11.2 MoU and the Deed of Agreement
11.3 Other MoUs and agreements
11.4 Conclusion

12 Assessment of laboratory accreditation arrangements
12.1 International aspects
12.2 Laboratory accreditation services
12.3 Other issues
12.4 Overall assessment

13 The future Australian Government relationship with NATA
13.1 Recognition of NATA
13.2 Funding
13.3 Memorandum of Understanding

A Submissions and meetings

B MoU with Standards Australia

C MoU with NATA

D Membership of Standards Australia and Sector Boards

E State and Territory regulation referring to NATA

F List of private sector, Commonwealth and intergovernmental writers of standards, codes and guides

References