National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia

Role in the technical infrastructure

The National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA) is recognised by the Australian Government as Australia’s key organisation for the development of knowledge, international experience and recognition in accreditation of inspection bodies, testing and measurement laboratories, proficiency testing scheme providers and producers of reference materials.

The Australian Government recognises NATA’s authority in the accreditation of laboratories, inspection bodies, and related services through a Memorandum of Understanding. NATA is also recognised as the national compliance monitoring authority for facilities performing activities in accordance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principle of Good Laboratory Practice.

NATA’s accreditation activities interface with the broader technical infrastructure. Many NATA accreditations utilise standards prepared by Standards Australia as the basis for testing, measurement and inspection activities. NATA's accreditation of calibration facilities supports the role of the National Measurement Institute (NMI) in facilitating the disseminations of Australia’s measurement standards. NATA’s laboratory accreditation activities also provide confidence in the testing and measurement data used in various certification systems accredited by Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JASANZ).

Structure and governance

NATA was established in 1947 by the Australian Government, with support from state governments, as the first comprehensive laboratory accreditation system in the world. It is an independent, not-for-profit company, operating as an association owned by its members.

NATA is governed by a board drawn from accredited facilities and government, industry and professional body stakeholders.

NATA’s accreditation activities are supported by technical Accreditation Advisory Committees (AAC). Members of these committees have current and relevant scientific, engineering or technical knowledge of specific activities for which NATA offers accreditation and are drawn from accredited facilities, professional bodies, academic institutions, regulators and other stakeholders.

A secretariat with its head office in Sydney and offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth administers the operations of the accreditation and related activities and includes Lead Assessors, Accreditation Specialists and Accreditation Coordinators who, with voluntary technical assessors, carry out assessment activities.

NATA itself undergoes regular on-site evaluations by its international peers to ensure its ongoing competence and capability to deliver credible accreditation consistent with international practices.

Operations

NATA accreditation is a process of giving formal recognition that a body is competent to carry out specific tasks. The core of NATA accreditation is the third party, objective, peer assessment process at a scientific and technical level that provides assurance of the facility’s capability to produce reliable data on which sound decisions can be made. NATA has access to nearly 3000 technical experts, known as technical assessors, who volunteer their time to accompany NATA’s assessor staff to evaluate the technical competence of applicant and accredited facilities.

How to determine what is accredited?

NATA accreditation covers a comprehensive range of industry groups and professions and, where needed, can be tailored to suit specific regulatory or stakeholder needs.

NATA accredited facilities are able to add the NATA endorsement to reports covering accredited activities.

The activities for which a facility has successfully demonstrated practical competence and capability at a NATA assessment are detailed in a Scope of Accreditation (SOA).

SOAs are publicly available documents so they are the primary source of information for anyone seeking a specific service.

Find SOAs on the NATA website.

Key areas of operations

Laboratory accreditation

Laboratory accreditation can cover a broad range of calibration, measurement and testing activities whether they are undertaken in a formal laboratory, a mobile facility or in situ. The ‘laboratory’ may be a stand-alone organisation or part of a larger organisation. The International Standard ISO/IEC 17025 is used as the primary accreditation criteria for most types of laboratories but there are two other categories of laboratory accreditation offered.

Medical Testing accreditation uses ISO 15189 as the primary accreditation criteria and covers testing of samples of human origin generally used for diagnostic purposes. Testing is most commonly laboratory based but accreditation also covers ‘point-of-care’ testing and mobile testing facilities.

R&D laboratory accreditation is currently an ISO/IEC 17025 based program (the same standard as for routine testing facilities) but with the standard being interpreted specifically for the research environment. The program has a focus on technical competency and robust research management – both essential elements in the conduct of solid accountable research and is suited to all research environments that have a testing basis.

Inspection body accreditation

Inspection involves ‘examination of a product, process, service, or installation or their design and determination of its conformity with specific requirements or, on the basis of professional judgement, general requirements’ (ISO/IEC 17020:2012). Essentially the process is conformity evaluation by observation and judgement accompanied as appropriate by measurement or testing. It can be applied to a vast range of activities across almost any sector.

Medical imaging accreditation

The Medical Imaging program includes procedures covering the modalities of general radiography, ultrasound, mammography, computerised tomography, interventional radiology, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine and bone mineral densitometry. The standards used are those produced by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).

Sleep disorders services accreditation

The Sleeps Disorders Services program covers the diagnostic procedures and treatments by facilities offering various sleep studies, including sleep apnoea, sleep phase disorders, narcolepsy and insomnia. It is run in conjunction with the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA). The requirements for the competence of services offering Sleep Disorders Services are described in the ASA Standard for Sleep Disorders Services.

Reference material producers’ accreditation

Certified reference materials (CRMs) and reference materials (RMs) are widely used in the calibration of equipment, validation of measurement procedures and for quality control. NATA conducts assessments of Reference Material Producers (RMP) for compliance with the requirements of ISO Guides 34, 31 and 35 together with the applicable requirements of ISO 17034.

Proficiency testing scheme provider accreditation

Proficiency testing is a tool for laboratories to compare their performance to that of similar laboratories and assist with education and training of a laboratory’s staff. The primary accreditation criteria are ISO/IEC 17043 and cover the provider’s competence to design, conduct and report on PT programs.

OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)

The OECD Principles of GLP apply to the conduct of non-clinical health and environmental safety studies and are required by national regulations for the purpose of registering or licensing pharmaceuticals, pesticides, veterinary drug products, industrial chemicals and similar products.

In Australia, NATA fills the role as the compliance monitoring authority. While GLP is not an accreditation program, it aligns with NATA’s laboratory services.

Other areas of accreditation

NATA is an approved accreditor for the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

In addition, Biobanking to ISO 20387 was developed to promote confidence in biobanks. The Standard covers requirements that allow biobanks to demonstrate their competence in being able to provide biological material and associated data that meets the needs of research and development organisations.

In 2025, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and NATA jointly created the TSANZ/NATA Respiratory Function Laboratory Accreditation Program. The program offers accreditation to respiratory function laboratories for a range of tests that contribute to better health outcomes and treatments for patients with respiratory and lung health conditions.

Training and seminar services

NATA offers public and tailored in-house training programs in Australia and internationally.

Public database of NATA accredited laboratories

NATA maintains a database of its accredited facilities, including their scopes of accreditation. This is particularly useful for organisations seeking laboratories able to undertake specific tests, measurements or inspections.

NATA publications

NATA publishes a range of technical and information documents which include:

  • accreditation criteria packages
  • policy circulars - addressing technical themes
  • technical notes - addressing specific technical issues
  • information papers - explaining accreditation positions
  • industry user guides - to assist users of accredited services.

International engagement

NATA has been actively engaged in a broad range of accreditation related activities internationally. A particular focus of this participation has been on activities that contribute to reducing technical barriers to trade.

NATA was active through the 1980s in developing the bilateral Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with other national accreditation bodies. In the 1990s, NATA’s attention moved to building the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) with the intent of developing accreditation capacity regionally and globally that would lead to the multi-lateral Mutual Recognition Arrangement. NATA was the inaugural Chair of both fora and among the first group of accreditation bodies to sign the APLAC MRA (in November 1997) and the ILAC MRA (in November 2000).

NATA continues to represent Australia in ILAC and APLAC, actively participating in its committees and currently holding the secretariats for both organisations.

The work in ILAC and APLAC combined with NATA’s signatory status to the MRA and the standing of the other infrastructure bodies provides Australia with a sound position with respect to technical barriers when negotiating Free Trade Agreements.

NATA has a long history in providing capacity building and consultancy services for developing laboratory accreditation bodies around the globe and can train staff, both in country and through attachment in Australia.

In addition to these accreditation specific activities, NATA is also active in international activities recognised by the Australian Government as being in the National Interest and which impact on NATA’s activities. These include participation in:

  • relevant ISO/Committee on Conformity Assessment (ISO/CASCO) work on development and maintenance of the ISO/IEC 17000 series of standards that related to accreditation and conformity assessment
  • OECD Working Group on Good Laboratory Practice
  • Codex Alimentarius, which develops harmonised international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice to protect the health of the consumers.

Contact details

7 Leeds Street
Rhodes NSW 2138

PO Box 7507
Silverwater NSW 2128

1800 621 666

www.nata.com.au