Dalziel Lianne: Standards and Conformance Bill — First Reading 
Dalziel Lianne: Standards and Conformance Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:628;Page:1020] 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL (Minister of Commerce) 
: 
 I move  
That the Standards and Conformance Bill be now read a first time 
. At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be referred to the Commerce Committee for consideration. 
The standards and conformance infrastructure supports the economy in many ways. Consumers both here and overseas increasingly require products or services that comply with standards or other specific requirements in terms of quality or performance. Obtaining independent confirmation that that has occurred has become increasingly important for business success and consumer confidence. The Government’s interest is in ensuring that risks to public health safety and the environment are minimised while facilitating innovation economic development and international trade. 
The technical amendments contained in this bill will amend two Acts: the Standards Act 1988 and the Testing Laboratory Registration Act 1972. The amendments are designed to ensure that international and domestic confidence in New Zealand’s standards and conformance infrastructure is maintained. Internationally norms and practices in the standards and conformance area have evolved and it is important that the Standards Act and the Testing Laboratory Registration Act keep up to date with those developments. 
The bill’s amendments will also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the functions of both the Standards Council and the Testing Laboratory Registration Council. Looking first at amendments to the Standards Act 1988 in New Zealand the Standards Council through its operational arm Standards New Zealand develops and publishes standards that are agreed specifications for products processes performances or services. Internationally standards bodies are now producing a wider range of products. The amendments to the Standards Act will clarify and expand the scope of the council’s functions to include the preparation or recommendation of codes of practice handbooks specifications and other material produced by international standards bodies. 
 The bill will also extend the development of standards in a manner consistent with New Zealand’s international trade obligations to include minimising environmental risks and promoting social responsibility. A further amendment is also intended to improve the nomination processes for appointments to the Standards Council. 
Turning now to the proposed amendments to the Testing Laboratory Registration Act 1972 the Act provides for the establishment of the Testing Laboratory Registration Council. The council has in turn established an operational arm—International Accreditation New Zealand. This organisation assesses the ability of testing and calibration laboratories and inspection bodies to carry out conformity assessments on whether a particular product process performance or service complies with particular standards and technical regulations. On the other hand an organisation called the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand was established by treaty between the Australian and New Zealand Governments in 1991. It provides for the accreditation of certification bodies—for example quality and environmental management systems and inspection bodies. 
A key purpose of the bill’s amendments to the Testing Laboratory Registration Act 1972 is to delineate the roles of International Accreditation New Zealand and the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand in the market for accreditation services. As such the amendments to the Testing Laboratory Registration Act 1972 will clarify that the Testing Laboratory Registration Council does not have the ability to accredit certification bodies and confirm that the council does not have the ability to accredit inspection bodies. The amendments will also make the provision of certification services—currently undertaken by Telarc Ltd an operational arm of the council—discretionary rather than mandatory. It is important to remember that when Telarc Ltd began supplying this service there were no private sector providers. Now however a number of private sector providers have been established. 
This bill will help do much to improve the clarity efficiency and effectiveness of the functions of the Standards Council and Testing Laboratory Registration Council and to align them with international norms and practices. This is ahead of the major review of standards and conformance that will occur next year. I commend this bill to the House.