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Industry innovation and science
- Artificial intelligence
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian Space Agency
- Boosting innovation and science
- Co-hosting the Square Kilometre Array
- Increasing international collaboration
- Industry growth centres
- Industry Innovation and Science Australia
- National Measurement Institute
- Optical astronomy in Australia
- Participating in the digital economy
- Promoting innovation precincts
- Science in our department
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Energy
Resources
Northern Australia
Trade
Business support
Measurement services
Government to government services
- Regulations and standards
Emissions reduction
Energy
Resources
- Applying to export rough diamonds
- Applying to export uranium and controlled ores
- Offshore mineral exploration and mining
- Offshore oil and gas exploration and development
- Offshore petroleum exploration acreage release process
- Regulating offshore oil and gas in Australian Commonwealth waters
- Regulating the Ranger Uranium Mine
- Taxes and royalties on minerals and petroleum
Measurement
Trade
Space industry
Building industry
Business support
- Funding and incentives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Australian Square Kilometre Array Fellowships Programme
- Business Research and Innovation Initiative
- Business-research collaboration
- Collaborating with Asia-Pacific on science, research and innovation
- Collaborating with China on science and research
- Collaborating with India on science and research
- Cooperative research centres
- Enabling international space investment
- Industry 4.0
- Inspiring Australia: Science engagement in Australia
- International research collaboration
- Moon to Mars: opportunities for Australian businesses
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Supporting advanced manufacturing
- Supporting business and innovation
- Supporting space infrastructure growth
- Transitioning Australia’s automotive manufacturing industry
- Venture capital
Resources
- About us
COVID-19
Jobs
Who we are
- Our Ministers
- Our Executive team
- Organisation chart
- Our portfolio agencies
- Overseas engagement
- Anti-Dumping Commission
- Anti-Dumping Review Panel
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian SKA Office
- Australian Space Agency
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
- National Measurement Institute
- Office of Innovation and Science Australia
- Office of Northern Australia
- Office of the Chief Economist
- Office of the Chief Scientist
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- Assurance and Audit Committee
- Budget statements
- Campaign Certification Statements
- Continuing Order of the Senate
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- Deregulation agenda
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- Trade measurement inspectors
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Trade measurement inspectors

The National Measurement Institute (NMI) employs trade measurement inspectors throughout Australia to:
- inform, monitor and consult with businesses about their trade measurement obligations
- ensure all measuring instruments used for trade are verified and used correctly
- check pre-packaged articles for correct packer identification, measurement markings and accurate measure
- monitor the activities of servicing licensees and public weighbridge licensees
- check public weighbridges for their conditions and accuracy
- investigate complaints
- take appropriate enforcement action where there have been breaches of the laws
If an inspector visits your business, it may be a response to consumer feedback or part of our compliance program.
Inspectors can visit a place of business at any reasonable time of day and do not have to give notice of entry. We base the frequency of our visits on our risk assessment of your operations.
Inspector powers
Our inspectors have the power to:
- enter and search a building, place or vehicle apparently used for business, but not residential premises unless the inspector has a warrant or the person in control of the residence consents
- record details of the building, place, vehicle, packages or measuring instruments by filming, photographing or making sketches and notes
- test packages by examining or measuring which may require breaking them open
- test and verify measuring instruments
- check if servicing licensees’ verification marks have been properly applied and the instrument’s details have been provided to NMI
- examine a packer’s, importer’s, possessor’s or seller’s records, and take copies of documents when necessary
- seize documents, records, packages or measuring instruments
- translate records or documents into English where needed
- ask questions and require answers
- require facilities and assistance
- issue non-compliance notices
Inspector obligations
In exercising their powers, trade measurement inspectors must:
- identify themselves and produce their identity card on request
- tell the person in control of the premises or vehicle that they are authorised to enter business premises or inspect a business vehicle
- when entering residential premises with a warrant, provide a copy of the warrant to the controller of the premises
- when entering residential premises without a warrant, seek consent from the person in control of the premises and inform them that they can refuse consent
- provide a copy of any seized document or record that can be readily copied, to the controller if requested
- provide a receipt for anything seized
Controllers
A controller is a person who apparently is in control of business premises, residential premises or a business vehicle during an NMI inspection.
Controller rights
The controller can:
- observe any tests of pre-packaged articles or measuring instruments, but only so long as the controller is not hindering the conduct of the test
- observe the search of the premises and inspection of the business vehicle, but only so long as they are not hindering the search or inspection
- request a copy of any seized item that can be readily copied at the time of the seizure
- ask the inspector to leave residential premises during the search, when the search has been obtained by consent of the controller
Controller responsibilities
The controller of a business premises or vehicle must provide the inspector, or any person assisting the inspector, with assistance and reasonable access to all facilities.
Specifically, the controller must:
- answer any questions by an inspector
- produce any record or document requested by an inspector
- provide details written in English of records or documents that were not written in English
The only exception is when the controller may be incriminated or exposed to a penalty listed in the National Trade Measurement Regulations 2009.
Enforcing trade measurement laws
NMI has a range of enforcement options for offences under trade measurement legislation.
These options include:
- a verbal warning
- a notice of non-compliance at the end of an inspection—this notice may include remedial actions that have to be carried out by the packer, importer, possessor or seller
- a written warning
- an infringement notice with associated fine
- an enforceable undertaking
- an injunction
- prosecution
Read more
- Find out how to comply with Australia’s trade measurement laws
- Read our Compliance plan
- Read our Compliance policy
- Read our latest Compliance report
Contact us
- Email infotm@measurement.gov.au
- Phone 1300 686 664

Last updated: 18 February 2021
Content ID: 54005