This month saw us announce celebrations and activities for Standards Australia’s centenary year. 100 years is an impressive birthday for any company, and we’re pleased to have serviced our community for such a long time and one of such dramatic change in the course of human history.  

Standards Australia celebrates its centenary not as a tired relic of the past but as an innovative and energetic organisation working to add even greater value to the Australian community.

In celebrating our centenary, we honour the past and recognise that we would not have reached this milestone without the support of our members and the dedication and of our contributors, stakeholders and staff. 

Our purpose is as relevant today and for the future as it was in the past.  As we look the future, Standards Australia is firmly committed to its fundamental public purpose role of delivering trusted solutions that empower communities.

We continue to invest our resources in transforming the organisation so that we have the capacity and capability to effectively address the growing needs and expectations of contributors, customers and stakeholders in the modern digital world.  

Throughout the year, we’ll be celebrating our centenary in a number of ways:

Standards Heroes – each month we’ll be recognising and profiling key individuals throughout our history who have gone above and beyond for standards. These people will be appearing on our website and social media channels monthly and we invite you to join in celebrating these individuals.

We launched our first Standards Heroes category in March, aptly profiling our ‘Women of Influence,’ in line with International Women’s Day.  

Events – we have a full event program throughout the year, commencing with our virtual centenary launch event at the end of March, then moving into a series of webinars throughout the year followed by a very special partnership with TEDx Sydney in the lead up to our official birthday on October 12.

Further information, including how to register to attend events, can be seen below.

I highly recommend following our social media channels to join in the festivities and stay abreast of other highlights we have in store.

Thank you once again for your dedication to our company, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

People are our greatest asset. Over the last 100 years, individuals from technical, business, academic, government and community backgrounds have contributed their expertise to developing standards, helping make Australia a safer and more efficient country.

Throughout our centenary year, we will be putting the spotlight a selection of individuals and committees who have made a lasting impact on standardisation. Find out more here.

Standards Australia is proud to be hosting a number of exciting and engaging events in the lead up to our 100th Birthday on October 12.

As we highlight our past and look forward to our future, we’re excited to share events that pay tribute to our contributors, engage in new ideas and solutions, and provide opportunity for innovation in thought. Our event calendar will expand throughout the year.

Please check our website regularly to keep up-to-date with the latest information and register to attend.

The Board of Standards Australia approved the appointment of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS) as Members of Standards Australia at their Board meeting in March.

Organisations interested in applying for membership to Standards Australia are invited to review the criteria which is intended to update and broaden the company's membership, with the aim to grow Standards Australia's relevance and reach and reflect a modern Australia.

Information regarding our Members and the criteria for membership is available here.

‍Enquiries regarding how to apply to become a Member and requests for a Membership Application form are welcomed by Standards Australia and should be directed to our Company Secretary.  

This month, Standards Australia celebrated International Women’s Day. We acknowledge the importance of inclusivity and equal opportunity. As an organisation, we will continue to promote equal opportunity and work together to break the bias.

To learn more about the women who have influenced Standards Australia, go to our Centenary page. Or see the following short video. If you would like to get involved in standards development, please read more here.

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Standards Australia welcomes the announcement of the Standards and Conformance Trade Enabling Program which will enhance collaboration between Standards Australia and its Indian counterpart, the Bureau of Indian Standards.

The program strengthens Australia and India’s already prosperous bilateral relationship. It will enable trade opportunities between the two nations in a range of areas such as agriculture, energy, resources, infrastructure, science and innovation, and healthcare.

Read more here.

Standards Australia has launched a new podcast called ‘Set the Standard,’ where we speak with industry experts to gain insights into current and emerging industries and to better understand the role of standards in empowering the Australian community.

Recently, we spoke with Lisa McLean, CEO at NSW Circular, Kar Mei Tang, Chief Circular Economist at NSW Circular and Connie Ho, Strategic Initiatives Manager at Standards Australia to explore the current and future state of Australia's Circular Economy.

Tune in here.

Do you know someone new to the world of standards? Keen to brush up on the basics? Read on!

Standards Australia’s Bootcamp is a free, two-hour course tailored to boost your CV by developing practical skills and background knowledge on standards.

We’ll be running a session on Friday, 29 April from 9.30am – midday AEST, online via Zoom. Bootcamp is ideal for graduates, young professionals, and anyone new to the industry. Standards Australia’s Bootcamp is open to the first 25 registrations, so if you know someone suitable to attend, please share this link with them.

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The Pacific Quality Infrastructure (PQI) Initiative, led by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, aims to strengthen, educate and inform quality infrastructure across Forum Island Countries.

Standards Australia is conducting a series of Needs Assessments with Forum Island Countries and their National Standards Bodies.

If you would like to contribute to the Needs Assessments for your country or would like to find out more, please see here.

Standards Australia is hosting a forum on the ISO/TC 215 Sub Committee regarding Genomics Informatics on Friday, 29 April 2022, from 9:30 am – 12:30 pm (AEST).

The debrief and workshop will seek to:

• Inform Australian stakeholders of Genomics Informatics-related standards under development at ISO
• Inform Australian stakeholders of ISO/TC 215/SC 1 Road Map
• Determine participation options for Australian stakeholders
• Determine next steps for Australian stakeholders to be involved in ISO/TC 215/SC 1

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As home renovations and new home constructions surge in 2022, many homeowners are at risk of adding time, cost and stress to the process by failing to meet regulatory standards.

While it might be tempting for homeowners to do most of the work themselves, the cost of not following regulations can cost hundreds of thousands in the long run.

Read more here.

Barbara Kerlen is a national leader in quality assurance and compliance. She’s worked with Standards Australia since 2014 as a championing voice for the consumer. Ms Kerlen currently sits on three committees (CS-118, QR-008, CMC) and liaises with Standards Australia on over 20 committees for the NRA as nominating organisation, working as a champion to enable high standards of safety for the consumer.

In 2020, Ms Kerlen’s dedication to standards and her work on button battery safety resulting in the establishment of CS-118 Button Battery Safety, was recognised when she was awarded the W.R. Hebblewhite Medal.

‍When and why did you become involved with standards development?

‍I first became aware of Australian standards in my first Australian quality assurance role, mainly interacting with standards in the textile space. My relationships with the Australian Fashion Council and National Retail Association encouraged participation in standards committees and I’ve never looked back. When I moved roles to work as a Quality and Product Safety Manager for a wider range of products, I became more involved in consumer safety – with a focus on button batteries.

‍How do standards impact and interact with your industry?

‍I believe well-developed standards are a great tool for industry stakeholders, especially when it comes to the international stage. We need the best possible standards in the market to support Australian consumers and businesses.

‍Why is access to standards important?

‍Access to standards is important in ensuring all stakeholders have access to well-developed documents, that set benchmarks, provide clarity on product design for safety, and set adequate guidance for product testing.

Standards greatly help industry to prevent harm to consumers, and we have a duty of care to all Australians when selling products.

‍What is the future of standardisation in your area of work?

‍In the space of standards development for consumer protection I see international collaboration as a key to best outcomes for industry and consumers. Australian standards committee members are passionate, knowledgeable and determined. I expect we will see more Australian standards adopted internationally in the future, not just Australia adoption of international standards.

Standards Australia will be hosting a consultation session for all Australian contributors to ISO and IEC on 4 May 2022.

We invite participants to attend the event via Zoom to share their feedback on participating in international standards development and hear updates on Australian priorities. It is also an opportunity to learn more about Australia’s engagement in ISO and IEC and what’s to come in 2022-2023, including an update on a return to face to face meetings.

Register your participation here.

Standards Australia represents Australia on the two major international standards development bodies, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Our activities are reported on our International Updates page.

Click here to view our highlights from March (PDF)

• You’re Invited: ISO and IEC Consultation Session for Australian Contributors – May 2022
• Guidelines for overseas warehouse services in cross-border trade: New Work Item Proposal
• Launch of the IEC Global Impact Fund

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Access the latest standards development news in your industry sector via our Sectors page.

The public comment process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions. With the launch of our new public comment platform, draft standards currently open for comment are now available via Connect.