Whilst the end of the financial year is often a time of reflection and planning for the future, this year many organisations are repeating 2020. The re-emergence of COVID-19 in many states over the last few weeks has disrupted the lives of many people across the country.  This includes the staff and contributors of Standard Australia. Importantly, however, our office has successfully migrated to working from home again.

This seamless move underpins the agility and commitment of all teams across the organisation. I am confident that regardless of the duration, we will be able to continue to deliver for our contributors and end users. I know this temporary setback is disappointing to many, including our dedicated committee members, but we will adjust as needed, as many times as necessary.

I would like to sincerely thank all our contributors who took the time to attend our contributor forums in May and June 2021. Thanks to their participation, we had very insightful sessions and received valuable feedback for continuous improvement in standards development.

Before this current outbreak, I, along with many others, participated in the Vinnie’s CEO Sleepout in Sydney. The focus is of this initiative awareness of the problem of homelessness and fund raising to support the work of frontline volunteers helping the homeless in Australia. Thank you to all who supported the fundraising effort for me and others. Collectively, this initiative raised more than $9m for this important cause.

— Adrian O'Connell, Chief Executive

Being sun-safe is a way of life for many Australians, with sunscreen a necessary household item given our high UV (ultraviolet) levels.

Recently revised standard AS/NZS 2604, Sunscreen Products – Evaluation and Classification, included a thorough revision by health, government, and industry experts to align with technological updates and international guidance on testing methods and labelling requirements for sunscreen products, including the water resistance and UV filtering requirements

Read more in our media release.

ISO/TC 184, Automation and Integration Systems, covers a broad remit, touching on all sectors of the economy from mining, to energy, data management systems, advanced manufacturing, and ICT. The far-reaching relevance of this committee provides a key pathway for a diversified Australian economy as well as increased innovation in the energy and natural resources sector.

Australia’s mining sector in particular is well placed to reap significant benefits from Australia’s participation in automation and systems integration international standards.

To gain a better understanding of ISO/TC 184, read our recently published article.

Domestic manufacture and supply of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) has been a key focus for industry and health stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Standards Australia technical committees have worked hard to review recently published international standards, adopting several for Australian use, notably in regard to respiratory devices.

Until all relevant international standards are considered, AS/NZS 1716:2012, Respiratory protective devices, will remain current, unless expressly specified by a regulatory or legislative requirement. Relevant technical committees will then work with stakeholders to decide on an appropriate transition period.

Read more in our recent statement.

For the third consecutive year, Standards Australia is partnering with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian APEC Study Centre at RMIT University, and Access Partnership to deliver a four-part workshop on Digital Trade Standards. This initiative aims to expand bilateral connections by working with the national standards bodies and stakeholders of all ten ASEAN member states.

The workshops will provide guidance on focused topics through expert guest speakers and practical coursework.

Learn more about our work in this space on the ASEAN-Australia Digital Trade page.

Electric vehicles are gaining popularity worldwide, with an estimate that they could make up 20–50% of car sales in Australia by the early 2030s.

Standards Australia was a key partner in the Australian Energy Market Operator’s Vehicle Grid Integration Taskforce, which sought to undertake a review of the gaps that exist nationally and internationally when it comes to electric vehicles integrating with the Australian electricity grid, before they become mainstream.

Read more in our article.

Fraud and corruption are significant issues for all types of Australian businesses, often resulting in not just financial loss, but also reputational damage. Previous versions of this standard have been used to monitor and address fraud and corruption across all Australian industries since 2003.

The recently published updates to AS 8001:2021, Fraud and corruption control, include important guidance on the increase of cyber-attacks and technology-enabled fraud.

See our media release for more.

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NEXTgen is a professional development program for individuals excited about the industry they work in, whether they have worked with standards before, or are interested in learning about standards and their benefits.

With the aim of future proofing standards development to reflect the people and communities that use them, NEXTgen recognises and engages diversity, values, and utilises each individuals varied professional backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to nurture and generate new ideas.

‍Know someone who should be involved?

Whether it be an employee of your organisation, a team member, an industry contact, or part of your professional network, encourage them to apply.

The deadline for applications has been extended to Friday 16 July, with application criteria and the 2021–22 program schedule available on the NEXTgen page on our website.

The December 2020 launch of the Construct NSW eLearning module, ‘The value of Australian Standards’, was an important step in helping industry better understand and use Australian Standards.

With the new building industry reforms commencing 1 July 2021, this two-hour module, along with other courses, will become mandatory for design and building practitioners.

Read more in our article.

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My SA Profile is our new user management and login system, putting users in control of their Standards Australia account information.

At launch, it will become the way to login to services including Connect, Public Comment Management System, Committee Workspace and Standards Academy. To access these services, users will need to reset their password.

To stay up to date, see the My SA Profile page on our website.

Former Standards Australia CEO Dr Bronwyn Evans was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant services to engineering, standards and medical technology as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2021.

In her five and a half years at Standards Australia, Dr Evans was influential in creating processes and streamlining the development of standards to create a long-lasting and positive impact on Australian life.

Read more in our media release.

Enzo is the chair of the Standards Australia committee AG 006, Gas Installation and works as the Type A Gas Appliance Safety Manager at Energy Safe Victoria. With a career in the gas industry spanning close to 40 years, he has had a diverse number of roles that have included the use of standards. Roles have included designing gas and electric cooking appliances and ducted gas central heating systems, working as a senior testing officer for Enertech, and most recently as a program manager for the certification of gas appliances and components at SAI Global.

‍Standards Australia (SA): When did you first become involved in standards development?

‍Enzo (EA): I first became involved in standards development during my career in manufacturing in the late 1980s

‍SA: How do standards impact and interact with your industry?

‍EA: Standards form the foundation by which Energy Safe Victoria is able to regulate gas safety in Victoria through its legislation.

‍SA: Why are accessible standards important?

‍EA: Standards accessibility is important. The cost of standards for practitioners has been and still is an area of concern. It is important that business models are developed that will incentivise practitioners to purchase standards.

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

‍EA: The development of gas standards to facilitate a hydrogen economy in order to reach the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

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.

Highlights from June (PDF)

1. Update from June 2021 TMB Meeting
2. Guidelines for the promotion and implementation of gender equality: New Work Item Proposal
3. IEC Academy Webinars

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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.