As October draws to a close I want to take a moment to reflect on World Standards Day, which we marked earlier this month on 14 October. This day acted as a powerful reminder of the role standards play in shaping a safer, more sustainable future, and of the incredible community behind them. 

This year’s theme, ‘Partnerships for Goals’, celebrated the impact of collaboration in advancing global progress. Whether you are a contributor, partner, or stakeholder, your work helps ensure Australians can trust the products, services, and systems they rely on every day. 

I continue to be inspired by the coordinated efforts across our organisation and community. The respect, integrity, and collaboration that define our culture are evident in the work and outputs of our community. 

This month also saw some key milestones in our ongoing effort to make standards easy to access and more impactful. We released our free Battery Safety Guide; a practical resource developed in close collaboration with government and industry partners. This guide supports Australia’s clean energy transition by helping consumers and businesses better understand battery safety. Empowering them with clear, trusted information. It is a great example of how we are working with government to ensure standards are not only technically robust but also easy to access and apply in everyday settings.

We also proudly represented Australia at the ISO Annual Meeting in Rwanda, where global leaders came together to shape the future of international standards. Our participation reinforced Australia’s growing influence in the global standards community and our commitment to responsible innovation. 

Thank you for your continued support, collaboration, and commitment. We share a common goal, and I am proud to work alongside such an incredible network to achieve it.

How do we prepare the next generation to shape the standards of tomorrow? By giving them a seat at the table. 

Standards Australia proudly invites high school students to take part in a landmark event and represent Australia the 2026 International Standards Olympiad in Korea. Students will join peers from 15 countries to tackle real-world challenges through the lens of standards development.

We're calling on schools, teachers, parents, and students to get involved. Information webinars are now open for registration.

Learn more and register for the webinars

This World Standards Day, October 14, we’re celebrating the role of standards in driving productivity through collaboration. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our focus is on how partnerships, enabled by standards, help organisations work more effectively across borders, sectors, and disciplines.

Standards Australia has long championed the value of collaboration. Through our work with contributors, nominating organisations, and international partners, we support initiatives that demonstrate how standards streamline processes, share knowledge, and scale solutions. From regional programs to strategic projects, these efforts show the real-world impact of standards in action.

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Standards Australia is proud to play a pivotal role in supporting Australia’s renewable energy goals. Through collaboration with government, industry, and the community, we are working to ensure that the infrastructure supporting this transition is safe, reliable, and future-ready.

A significant milestone for this work is the release of SA TS 5398:2025, Electrical Energy Storage Equipment – Safety Requirements, a new technical specification now freely available via the Standards Australia Store.

Learn more and download the report

In a global first, Standards Australia has released a new technical specification that could transform how we deal with textile waste: SA TS 5399:2025 – Compostable Natural Fibre Textiles.

Australia generates around 860,000t of textile waste each year, yet only about 5% is estimated to be recycled (excluding charitable donations). Led by Dr Chris Hurren from Deakin University, this new specification introduces a test method to help determine whether a natural fibre textile or garment can be composted in line with AS 4454:2012 – Composts, Soil Conditioners and Mulches, within industrial composting facilities.

Recycling natural fibre textiles at scale remains a global challenge. This document brings industry closer to trialling composting solutions that could safely return end-of-life textiles to the soil, turning waste into are source.

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The latest episode of Infrastructure Matters podcast is now live, featuring our CEO, Rod Balding, in conversation with IPWEA's CEO, David Jenkins. They discuss how standards shape everyday life, from energy transition and water quality to infant safety, and highlight the vital role committee members play in developing them.

The episode also explores renewed collaboration between Australia and New Zealand, engaging the next generation, and the power of storytelling in communicating standards.

Listen to the full episode

To keep our catalogue current and relevant, we’ll be seeking feedback on a number of older documents scheduled for systematic review. These documents don’t have an active technical committee available to provide input. 

A list will be published from 24 November 2025 to 26 January 2026 and available on our Aged Standards Review page.

Learn more about our international initiatives and how to get involved.

Check out the latest standards development news in your industry sector.

Help us keep Australians safe! Our public comment phase provides an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make valuable contributions.

Draft standards open for comment