National Measurement Amendment Regulations 2010 (No. 1)1

Select Legislative Instrument 2010 No. 179

I, QUENTIN BRYCE, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following Regulations under the National Measurement Act 1960.

Dated 29 June 2010

QUENTIN BRYCE

Governor-General

By Her Excellency’s Command

KIM CARR

Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Contents

 1 Name of Regulations 

 2 Commencement 

 3 Amendment of National Measurement Regulations 1999

 4 Amendment of National Measurement Regulations 1999

 5 Transitional 

Schedule 1 Amendments commencing on 1 July 2010 

Schedule 2 Amendments commencing on commencement of Schedule 1 to National Measurement Amendment Act 2010

1 Name of Regulations

  These Regulations are the National Measurement Amendment Regulations 2010 (No. 1).

2 Commencement

  These Regulations commence as follows:

 (a) on 1 July 2010 — regulations 1 to 3 and 5 and Schedule 1;

 (b) on the commencement of Schedule 1 to the National Measurement Amendment Act 2010 — regulation 4 and Schedule 2.

3 Amendment of National Measurement Regulations 1999

  Schedule 1 amends the National Measurement Regulations 1999.

4 Amendment of National Measurement Regulations 1999

  Schedule 2 amends the National Measurement Regulations 1999.

5 Transitional

  Despite the repeal by these Regulations of paragraph (b) of the definition of certification in regulation 3 of the National Measurement Regulations 1999, that paragraph continues to have effect in relation to an application for certification of a measuring instrument in use for trade made before the commencement of these Regulations.

Schedule 1 Amendments commencing on 1 July 2010

(regulation 3)

[1] Regulation 3, after definition of approving authority

insert

artefact means a physical object that is not a standard of measurement.

[2] Regulation 3, definition of certificate of verification

omit

regulation 13

insert

regulation 13 or 34C

[3] Regulation 3, definition of certification

substitute

certification means:

 (a) for a measuring instrument — certification of the instrument under regulation 37; and

 (b) for a reference material — certification of the material under regulation 48.

[4] Regulation 3, definition of certified reference material

omit

[5] Regulation 3, definition of maximum permissible error, paragraph (b)

substitute

 (b) otherwise — is mentioned in Schedule 1 of the National Trade Measurement Regulations 2009 or Schedule 12 to these Regulations, for a material measure or measuring instrument of that kind.

[6] Regulation 3, definition of verification

substitute

verification means:

 (a) for a standard of measurement — verification of the standard under regulation 13; or

 (b) for an artefact — verification of a physical quantity of an artefact under regulation 34C.

[7] Regulation 3, definition of verifying authority

substitute

verifying authority means:

 (a) for standards of measurement and artefacts — the Chief Metrologist; or

 (b) for a particular reference standard of measurement — a body or person appointed under regulation 73 in relation to reference standards of measurement of the same kind as the particular reference standard of measurement; or

 (c) for a particular artefact — a body or person appointed under regulation 73 in relation to an artefact of the same kind as the particular artefact.

[8] Subregulation 13 (5)

omit

[9] Regulation 14, heading

substitute

14 Decision not to verify, or delay in verifying, standard of measurement

[10] After Part 3

insert

Part 3A Artefacts

Division 1 General

34A Verification relating to artefacts

 (1) A verifying authority may verify a physical quantity of an artefact by making a measurement of the physical quantity.

 (2) Verification of the physical quantity of the artefact must be conducted in an appropriate way, having regard to the nature of the artefact.

Division 2 Verification of artefacts

34B Application for verification of physical quantity of an artefact

 (1) Application may be made for verification of a physical quantity of an artefact.

 (2) The application must be:

 (a) made in the form provided by the Chief Metrologist to verifying authorities for issue to applicants; and

 (b) accompanied by the artefact; and

 (c) given to a relevant verifying authority.

 (3) The verifying authority may, by written notice, require the applicant to lodge with the authority any additional information the authority needs to consider the application properly.

 (4) The verifying authority may refuse to proceed with the application until the applicant complies with the notice.

34C Verification of physical quantity of artefacts

 (1) On application under regulation 34B, the verifying authority:

 (a) may verify a physical quantity of the artefact; and

 (b) if the physical quantity of the artefact is verified:

 (i) must issue a certificate of verification to the applicant; and

 (ii) may issue a copy of the certificate to anyone else the authority considers should be given a copy.

 (2) The certificate of verification of a physical quantity of an artefact must state:

 (a) the name and address of the verifying authority; and

 (b) the date of the verification; and

 (c) the result of the verification ascertained on the day of verification; and

 (d) the accuracy with which the physical quantity of the artefact is verified; and

 (e) the value (stating the uncertainty) of any relevant environmental or other influence factors, such as temperature or pressure, at the time of the verification; and

 (f) a description of:

 (i) any mark on, or attached to, the artefact; or

 (ii) a sealed container attached to the artefact.

 (3) For paragraph (2) (d), the accuracy of a verification of a physical quantity of an artefact is to be ascertained and expressed in a manner determined in writing by the Chief Metrologist.

 (4) The verifying authority must not verify a physical quantity of an artefact unless the artefact bears an identifying mark.

34D Decision not to verify, or delay in verifying, physical quantity of artefact

 (1) If the verifying authority decides not to verify a physical quantity of an artefact, the authority must give written notice of the reason to the applicant as soon as practicable.

 (2) If the authority has not granted an application, or given notice to the applicant under subregulation (1), within 3 months after receiving the application, the authority must, at the request of the applicant, given written notice to the applicant of the reasons for the delay.

34E Marking of artefacts

 (1) Before verifying a physical quantity of an artefact, the verifying authority must satisfy itself as to whether the artefact bears an identifying mark.

 (2) If the artefact does not bear an identifying mark, the verifying authority must mark the artefact with an identifying mark.

 (3) If:

 (a) the artefact does not bear an identifying mark; and

 (b) it is impracticable to mark the artefact with an identifying mark because of the nature, shape or size of the artefact;

the verifying authority must enclose an identifying mark in a sealed container and attach the sealed container to the artefact.

[11] Regulation 38, heading

substitute

38 Decision not to certify, or delay in certifying, measuring instruments

[12] Regulation 50, heading

substitute

50 Decision not to certify, or delay in certifying, reference material

[13] Regulation 62, heading

substitute

62 Decision not to approve, or delay in approving, patterns of measuring instrument

[14] Paragraph 73 (1) (a)

substitute

 (a) in the opinion of the Chief Metrologist, is capable, or has direct control of staff who are capable, of:

 (i) verifying a standard of measurement; or

 (ii) verifying a physical quantity of an artefact; or

 (iii) certifying a reference material; or

 (iv) certifying a measuring instrument;

 to which the application relates; or

[15] Paragraphs 74 (1) (a) to (c)

after

measurement

insert

and physical quantities of artefacts (if any)

[16] Subregulation 74 (2)

after

measurement

insert

or physical quantity of an artefact

[17] Subregulation 85 (1), table, after item 2

insert

[18] Regulation 87

omit

Part VA

insert

Part IV

[19] Subparagraph 87 (d) (ii)

omit

Division 1 of Part 4 of Schedule 12.

insert

Schedule 1 to the National Trade Measurement Regulations 2009.

[20] Regulation 89

omit

[21] Regulation 90A

omit

[22] Schedule 12

substitute

Schedule 12 Maximum permissible error — legal measuring instruments

(regulation 3, definition of maximum permissible error)

  When comparing the error of an evidential breath analyser with the corresponding maximum permissible error, the maximum permissible error must be rounded to the value of the verification scale interval. The error of a reading indicated by an evidential breath analyser may be greater than the maximum permissible error by one least significant digit.

Table 1 Evidential breath analysers

[23] Schedule 13

substitute

Schedule 13 Fees

(regulation 90B)

Part 1 Examination and certification of volume measuring instruments

Table 1 Examination and certification of volume measuring instruments

Note   Table 1 sets out three levels of fees that apply to the instruments described, respectively, by subparagraphs 90B (2) (a) (i), (3) (a) (i) and (4) (a) (i).

Part 2 Examination and certification of weighing and dimensional measuring instruments

Table 2 Examination and certification of weighing and dimensional measuring instruments

Note   Table 2 sets out three levels of fees that apply to the instruments described, respectively, by subparagraphs 90B (2) (a) (ii), (3) (a) (ii) and (4) (a) (ii).

Part 3 Examination and certification of patterns of measuring instruments (including under mutual recognition agreements)

Table 3 Examination and certification of patterns of measuring instruments

Note   Table 3 sets out three levels of fees that apply to the instruments described, respectively, by:

(a) paragraph 90B (2) (b) — the level 1 fee; and

(b) paragraph 90B (3) (b) — the level 2 fee; and

(c) paragraphs 90B (4) (b) and (c) and subregulation 90B (5) — the level 3 fee.

Part 4 Examination and certification of evidential breath analysers

Table 4 Examination and certification of evidential breath analysers

Part 5 Examination and certification of grain protein measuring instruments

Table 5 Examination and certification of grain protein measuring instruments

Part 6 Examination and certification of utility meters

Table 6 Examination and certification of utility meters

Part 7 Verification of utility meters used for trade

Table 7 Verification of utility meters used for trade

Part 8 Additional fees for use of equipment in examination of instruments

Table 8 Additional fees for use of equipment in examination of instruments

Schedule 2 Amendments commencing on commencement of Schedule 1 to National Measurement Amendment Act 2010

(regulation 4)

[1] Regulation 3, after definition of artefact

insert

Australian certified reference material means a reference material certified under regulation 48.

[2] Further amendments — Australian certified reference material

  The following provisions are amended by inserting ‘Australian’ before ‘certified reference material’:

  paragraph 47 (1) (c)

  subregulation 48 (7)

  paragraphs 51 (3) (a) and (b)

  subregulations 53 (1) and (2).

1. All legislative instruments and compilations are registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments kept under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. See http://www.frli.gov.au.