In 1990, all states and territories except Western Australia agreed to the adoption of Uniform Trade Measurement Legislation (UTML). UTML was designed to ensure that transactions involving quantifiable measures are conducted accurately and consistently across all states and territories. The objective of UTML is to promote commercial certainty and bring about a reduction in business costs and greater efficiency in the trade measurement industry that services the marketplace and that the confidence of consumers in the market should be maintained through suitable protection provisions.

Trade Measurement Regulatory Reform Process
Changes in market practices and technological developments can impact on the effectiveness of legislation. Any amendments to the model UTML and regulations must be unanimously agreed between the Commonwealth, States and Territories.

The Ministerial Council of Consumer Affairs (MCCA) has responsibility for the UTML agreement and for making any amendments to the uniform legislation and regulations. MCCA is supported by the Standing Committee of Consumer Affairs Officials (SCOCA) and the Trade Measurement Advisory Committee (TMAC).

Legal Traceability & Hierarchy of Standards
The hierarchy of standards by which a physical measurement can be related back through the national metrological pyramid to the relevant base unit is known as traceability. The diagram below shows the essential features of Australia's hierarchy of standards.

At the top of the pyramid is the International System of units (SI units) which was adopted by international agreement at the General Conference of Weights and Measures in 1960.

SI units form the basis of Australia's hierarchy of standards. SI base units of measurement, derived and supplementary units and combinations of these units are prescribed by the National Measurement Act as the sole legal units for the measurement of all physical quantities in Australia. Legal metrology comprises all measurement carried out for legal purpose. It includes all measurement that is subject to regulation by law or government decree such as measurement for traffic control, occupational health and safety and environmental monitoring. It also encompasses trade measurement.

Australia is a member of the International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML). OIML is responsible for developing model regulations in the fields of legal metrology and practical measurements.

The National Measurement Act requires CSIRO or its agents to maintain such standards of measurement that are necessary to provide means for measurements of physical quantities to be made in terms of the legal units.

Australian primary and secondary standards are maintained by CSIRO and its agents and these are used to calibrate State primary standards and reference standards, which in turn are used to calibrate inspectors' standards and working standards.

Section 10 of the National Measurement Act establishes the requirement for legal traceability to the national standards of measurement. Legal traceability is demonstrated through Regulation 13 certificates issued by verifying authorities. Through their calibration services CSIRO and its agents provide metrological traceability to the national standards of measurements. Where legal traceability is required a Regulation 13 certificate should be issued.

International traceability is achieved by CSIRO collaborating with both national standards laboratories of other scientifically advanced nations and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures through inter-comparisons of national standards. These inter-comparisons provide confidence in the consistency of the international measurement system. In addition CSIRO has a number of bilateral agreements with other countries on equivalence of national standards.