Key Documents
In June 2021, the Government announced that, in consultation with Consumer Ministers, it would look to develop amendments to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to make it easier to recognise up‑to‑date trusted overseas product standards in Australia.
The ACL includes product safety provisions which regulate consumer goods and related services supplied in Australia to address safety risks and hazards. Actions to address safety risks and hazards include the introduction of mandatory safety and information standards, which set out specific requirements for consumer goods or related services.
A consultation regulation impact statement (RIS) has been developed to examine several options for ACL amendments to mandatory safety and information standards provisions to:
- make it easier for the Commonwealth Minister to recognise overseas standards
- more efficiently capture, or allow compliance with, updates to voluntary Australian and overseas standards recognised under Australian law.
Treasury is seeking feedback on the consultation RIS on the policy options being considered, and to determine the relative impact of those options including costs and benefits.
Treasury is undertaking this assessment and public consultation on behalf of the Commonwealth, states and territories in accordance with the process for making amendments to the ACL as outlined in the Intergovernmental Agreement for the ACL.