Buying an e-bike, e-scooter, e-skateboard, or hoverboard in NSW?
Check the device and battery for a safety approval mark. 

New product safety requirements:

E-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, self-balancing scooters, and associated lithium-ion batteries sold in NSW must meet strict new product safety requirements. These criteria have been introduced to ensure safe, compliant products are in-market, reducing the risk of associated fires.  
Devices and batteries must also carry an electrical safety approval mark from 1 February 2026, confirming the product has been tested, certified, and approved. 
So, check products for a safety approval mark, consisting of three letters followed by a range of numbers (e.g. NSW12345). If you don’t see an approval mark, ask the retailer to provide you with one. If they can’t, don’t buy the product.

New information requirements: 

Retailers must also provide customers with clear and accurate safety information at the point of sale or supply. This includes details about safe use, charging, storage, fire prevention, and disposal of vehicles and their batteries.  
So, make sure you receive essential safety information at the point of sale or supply of your device.

Report a safety concern:

If you are aware of an unsafe product, alert the supplier about the issue and report it to NSW Fair Trading by calling 13 32 20 or submit a complaint online. 
You can also report an unsafe product to ACCC Product Safety. Review the product safety recall list first. 

For further information:

Buying an e-bike: Know the rules 
New safety standards for e-micromobility products 
New information standard for e-micromobility products 
New standards for lithium-ion e-micromobility devices fact sheet 
Lithium-ion battery safety fact sheet 
Lithium-ion battery safety and e-micromobility devices

We take the safety of Australians seriously. By signing the ACMA’s Equipment Safety Pledge, we’ve committed to working with the Australian Government to identify and remove unsafe radiocommunications devices from our site.

Certain radiocommunications items pose serious risks and are either illegal or strictly controlled in Australia. 

Unsafe devices can include:

• 2-way radios that are not set up for Australia
• Jammers
• Mobile phone boosters
• Mobile phone repeaters

These devices risk blocking critical emergency communications. If you see any of these devices on this site, please let us know by using the ‘Report Abuse’ button found within each listing, or contacting Customer Support here.

The ACMA’s website also has a range of resources to help consumers understand the rules about radiocommunications devices. Please refer to the ACMA’s website for more information.

Jammers https://www.acma.gov.au/jammers-are-illegal-australia  
Mobile phone boosters: https://www.acma.gov.au/mobile-phone-boosters-are-illegal-australia  
Mobile repeaters: https://www.acma.gov.au/cellular-mobile-repeaters 
2-way radios: https://www.acma.gov.au/beware-2-way-radios-overseas 
Mobile phones sold online or overseas: https://www.acma.gov.au/phones-sold-online-or-overseas

Some radio and signal-boosting devices may look harmless. However, unless they are approved for use in Australia, they could be breaking the law and endangering critical services. MarketTram is committed to removing these illegal devices, and we appreciate your help! If you’re unsure about a listing, let us know.

Since 2000 at least 28 people, including 17 children under 5, have died in Australia from toppling furniture and televisions. Each year more than 900 Australians suffer injuries requiring medical assistance from toppling furniture. Children under 5 years old and older Australians are most at risk.

What’s new?

A new mandatory information standard came into effect on 4 May 2025 which aims to raise awareness of the hazards of toppling furniture to reduce the risk of death and injury.

This means businesses that make, import, supply or sell certain furniture have until this date to meet the new requirements. They include:

• attaching permanent warning labels to furniture
• displaying point of sale warnings both in-store and online; and
• providing safety information in instructions included with toppling furniture

Suppliers that don’t comply with the standard from 4 May 2025 may be in breach of the Australian Consumer Law and could face enforcement action by the ACCC.
Guidance to help suppliers comply with the mandatory standard can be found in the ACCC supplier guide.

Safety tips for consumers

The best way to prevent furniture from toppling is to secure it to the wall or floor with an anchoring device. Anchoring devices may come with the furniture or can be purchased from furniture retailers, hardware stores and specialty baby goods stores.

Important safety tips:

• look for required warning labels displayed in store, online and on the furniture
• place furniture on a flat and stable surface
• always secure your furniture and television with an anchoring device
• for tenants, talk to your landlord or agent about installing anchor devices to the wall
• store your heaviest items at the bottom of drawers or shelves
• do not place items that are attractive to children on top of toppling furniture
• install locking devices on all drawers to prevent children using them as steps

Selling or buying second-hand furniture?

If you’re listing or purchasing items on MarketTram, it helps to think about safety too. Sellers can mention whether anchoring kits are included, or suggest buyers secure items once home. Including a quick safety note in your listing can show responsibility and help protect others, especially families with young children.

1 August 2022

Preparing for the arrival of your baby can be an exciting time, but it can be difficult for parents and carers to know what is really important when choosing products for your baby.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched “Your First Steps”, an initiative designed to help guide parents and carers as they take their first steps on their journey to bringing up a safe, happy baby. The initiative forms part of the ACCC’s work in prioritising consumer product safety issues affecting babies and young children.

“Your First Steps” includes a dedicated website, where parents can go to find important information to help them choose safe products, and importantly, use products safely. 

“Your First Steps” is an easy-to-understand resource which includes engaging videos and handy checklists. It covers everything parents need to know about product safety when playing, moving, sleeping, soothing, bathing and changing, before birth and in the first 6 months of a baby’s life. 

Keep up to date with product safety information:

Visit https://www.productsafety.gov.au/consumers/keep-baby-safe to take ‘Your First Steps’ when it comes to choosing and using safe products for your little one, and make sure you share this website with other parents and carers in your life.

Follow the ACCC on Facebook and Twitter for updates and alerts. 

If you come across an unsafe product in your home, be sure to report it to the ACCC. 

Feedback for the ACCC:

24 August 2020

A message from Agriculture Victoria

Agriculture Victoria is progressing with its response activities to eradicate avian influenza from three poultry farms near Lethbridge and one near Bairnsdale.

Movements of domestic birds, bird products and equipment into, out of or within the Golden Plains Shire and East Gippsland Restricted and Control Areas requires a permit from Agriculture Victoria.

This includes buying, selling or moving eggs, manure and chickens, whether on the side of the road, from your property, your local store, online (such as MarketTram) or at markets.

It is illegal to do so without a permit.

These controls will remain in place until Agriculture Victoria is confident that the disease has not spread further and has been eradicated.

If you have pet birds or backyard hens or flocks in the Restricted or Control Areas, you must observe all associated restrictions.

The infected farms have been quarantined under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 and Agriculture Victoria is undergoing control activities.

Surveillance of poultry farms is ongoing in the Control and Restricted Areas in both the Golden Plains Shire and near Bairnsdale.

A housing order is in place and applies to all properties located within the Golden Plains Shire. Under this order, all bird owners within the Golden Plains Shire, must house or keep their birds in an enclosure for a minimum of 30 days from 7 August 2020. This includes commercial free-range birds and implementing practical measures for birds kept in residential backyards. This order will be reviewed and may be extended beyond the 30 days for the purpose of disease control.

Report any sick or dead birds to Agriculture Victoria as a priority. This includes all domestic poultry or wild birds.

To do this, call the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

The Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018 outlines that all drivers, vehicles and service providers need special authorisations to provide passenger transport services. This includes:

• An On-demand Booking Service authorisation for the booking service;
• Passenger Transport Vehicle authorisations for the vehicle completing the booking; and
• Driver authorisations (F or T extension) for the drivers who will be driving the vehicles.

When drivers, vehicles and booking services are operating without the required authorisation they are not subject to the required safety requirements such as driver medical and background checks, vehicle inspections, booking service signage requirements, complaints processes and maintenance and audit regimes.

People using these services may be unwittingly exposed to higher risks. If you’re booking a ride through an advertised service, check that it has an on-demand booking service authorisation at transport.wa.gov.au

Maximum penalties for an unauthorised booking service are $40,000 for an individual and $200,000 for a body corporate. Jail terms and $2,000,000 penalties can apply for serious safety duty breaches. For more info please see transport.wa.gov.au/odt

5 March 2021

Car manufacturers have successfully recalled 99.9 per cent of the more than 3 million vehicles affected by deadly Takata airbags which are subject to a compulsory recall. 
“We’re pleased to have such a high completion rate in what has been the biggest vehicle recall in Australian history,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
“Over 3 million vehicles were originally affected and to have it just shy of 100 per cent complete makes this a great success in terms of numbers compared with other recalls. However, there are still some vehicles in the community that may still have deadly airbags.”
In particular, around 312,000 vehicles have been deemed to be compliant with the recall although they have not had their airbags replaced. This category covers vehicles which have been scrapped, stolen or unregistered for more than two years, or where consumers did not respond or were not contactable after repeated contacts through different channels.
Globally, these Takata airbags have been associated with over 350 serious injuries and 33 deaths. This includes one death in Sydney in July 2017 and one serious injury in Darwin in April 2017. Two injuries were also reported following an accident in Sydney in August 2020.
“If you have an affected vehicle and have not yet had your airbag replaced, please contact your vehicle manufacturer urgently to arrange for a free replacement,” Ms Rickard said.
“It is important we continue to work together to get the small number of dangerous vehicles that are identifiable off our roads.”
State and territory registration sanctions apply to vehicles that have not had their faulty airbags replaced. The ACCC is also working with state and territory registration authorities to ensure deregistered vehicles are not re-registered without confirmation that the airbag has been replaced.
Consumers can visit the Product Safety Australia page, or contact their manufacturer to check if their vehicle is affected. A list of vehicle manufacturer helplines and contact details is available online.

Facts and figures

• In total, 4.1 million airbags (99.9 per cent) in 3.06 million vehicles have been rectified or deemed complete under the recall notice.
• This includes the 312,000 vehicles that have been deemed as unregistered for more than two consecutive years (94,927), written-off or stolen (118,020) or where the owner was unable to be contacted (40,741) or did not respond to recall notifications (58,198).
• The ACCC expects to be at 100 per cent completion (including deemed compliant vehicles) within 2-3 months following assessment of a small number of applications, relating to less than 2000 vehicles, for deemed compliance.

Notes to editors

When buying or selling popular hoverboards online (also called electric scooters or self-balancing scooters), it’s important to make sure the item is approved for electrical safety and uses compliant power supplies and battery chargers.

There are serious risks and dangers associated with unapproved and non-compliant battery chargers being supplied with hoverboard type electronics.  

The built-in batteries in hoverboards or other similar equipment can also pose a hazard when not used or handled carefully.  An incompatibility between the rechargeable battery and its charger (supply unit) can cause the battery to fail unsafely, resulting in physical damage to the hoverboard equipment.

The battery charger standard  AS/NZS 60335.2.29 requires the charger to be tested with batteries that are designed for it.  Additionally this standard covers requirements for battery chargers that can be used by children. A general purpose power supply/battery charger may not be compatible with the hoverboard type equipment and presents a serious safety hazard.

Sellers are encouraged to contact their state electricity safety regulator if they have any questions regarding compliance requirements for these devices; and it is recommended to include the compliance documentation of the charger and hoverboard in your ad.

Please refer to the links below for more information:

•  Electrical Recall bulletins for online buyers and sellers
•  Information on buying safe electrical equipment

New information about recalling consumer products

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has simplified information to help suppliers understand how to quickly carry out a product safety recall.

Products sold to consumers must be safe. If a product is a risk to safety, or it doesn’t comply with a mandatory standard or product ban, your business may need to recall it.

Key steps to recall an unsafe product

• Stop the supply of the product
• Tell the ACCC within 2 days of taking recall action
• Warn consumers of the hazard the product presents
• Offer consumers a remedy in the form of a repair, replacement or refund, and
• Monitor how your recall is tracking to make sure consumers receive a remedy.

Contact online marketplaces

Many online marketplaces have policies and procedures in place to support you when recalling a product. 

Contact all of the online marketplaces you used to sell the product to find out what help they can give you when recalling a product. This may include identifying and contacting consumers who purchased a recalled product, and support consumers with accessing a remedy.

Tools to help run a product safety recall

The updated guideline has essential information and tools to support you when running a recall – including a checklist, sample messages, templates and recall plan.

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is a technical and safety regulator responsible for the safe generation, supply and use of electricity, gas and pipelines. A statutory authority, we also licence electricians, manage the Certificate of Electrical Safety Program, conduct community safety campaigns, ensure electrical and gas products are approved and safe for use, and investigate gas and electrical incidents.

Please be aware that some 3D printer kits may be non-compliant and unsafe to use.  The key issues identified are;

• Some power supply units supplied with the kits are rated at 110-220V. AS/NZS 60950.1: Safety requirements for equipment for information technology use requires testing to be conducted at 240V. A power supply designed to operate at 220V and may present a risk of electric shock and fire.
• Some power supplies, supplied are for internal use of equipment only, however in this instance they are being used externally with no protection against live parts.  
• The power supplies do not have the relevant Australian approvals.

If the 3D printer kit includes a power supply, ensure that the power supply is Australian approved, complies with AS/NZS 60950.1 and provides extra low voltage (0- 60Vdc) output to the 3D printer unit.

The 3D printer is also required to comply with AS/NZS 60950.1 for Australia, although the approval of equipment is not compulsory.
 
Please refer to section 54 and 57 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998 which states:
 
A person must not supply or offer to supply electrical equipment unless –

1. the equipment complies with the minimum standards prescribed for equipment of that class;

A person must not supply or offer to supply electrical equipment prescribed under sub-section (1) unless the equipment –

1. is approved by ESV and is marked as prescribed; or
2. is approved by a prescribed authority or, under the regulations, is deemed to be approved; or
3. is certified in accordance with a prescribed method or prescribed process.

For sellers offering 3D printer kits, please be aware you are responsible for the compliance of the 3D printer kits you are supplying. Fines and penalties apply if you supply the non-compliant, unapproved and unsafe equipment.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) encourages consumers and suppliers of inflatable amusement products for home use, such as jumping castles, inflatable water slides and zorb balls, to follow the below tips to reduce risks and injuries. 

Risks and injuries

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has identified you as a potential supplier of hand sanitiser.

New hand sanitiser labelling requirements come into effect from 24 May 2021. 

Take action now to make sure you comply with the new requirements in the cosmetics ingredients labelling standard by 24 May 2021 and check your compliance with the existing requirements.

Cosmetic hand sanitiser manufactured on or after 24 May 2021 must display:

• Prominently, and clearly legible, the amount of alcohol contained in the product, shown as a percentage (%), by volume per volume (v/v) (if the hand sanitiser contains alcohol as the primary active ingredient)
• The following warnings (in words or pictograms)
  1. Keep out of reach of children
  2. For external use only
  3. If ingested, seek immediate medical attention
  4. Flammable – keep away from fire and heat
  5. Discontinue use if skin irritation occurs

Information about the existing labelling requirements for all cosmetics can be found here.

About the standard

From 24 May 2021, it will be against the law to supply, offer for supply, manufacture, possess or control (for the purpose of trade or commerce) cosmetic hand sanitiser in Australia, if it was manufactured from that date and does not meet the requirements of the standard. A list of products that are excluded from the standard can be found here.

The requirements of the standard help consumers to compare different cosmetic hand sanitiser to make an informed choice on what they purchase and how to use the products safely and effectively.

Minimising risks to consumers

Minimise the risk to consumers by ensuring your hand sanitiser container (or other packaging) is not, and does not look like, a food or beverage container. The ACCC has safety guidance on the safe use, supply and the packaging and labelling of cosmetic hand sanitisers.

What can you do to ensure you meet your obligations?

You can:

• visit the Product Safety Australia website and learn more about your existing obligations and the new requirements of the standard
• read the full text of the standard and the Explanatory Statement
• speak with your industry association (if you’re a member)
• ask us a question via the ACCC website
• call us on 1300 302 502 for more information
• review your compliance practices, start conversations with your supplier network and set up a compliance program

Share the knowledge

All businesses, including small and online businesses, must make a report to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) if a product they have sold causes a death, serious injury or illness. Making a report helps the ACCC to stop other people from getting hurt.

If someone gets hurt from something you sell, the following ACCC guides can tell you what to do next: Product safety mandatory reporting for suppliers – Understanding your obligations

Reports can be made online, and must be made within 2 days

You must make a report if your business supplies a consumer good or product related service that has caused a death, serious injury or illness. Businesses must submit a report within 2 days of becoming aware of a serious incident.
If you are in any doubt about whether a mandatory report is required, you should submit it to ensure you comply with the 2-day reporting deadline.
If you are an overseas company who supplies in Australia, you also must report. This includes reports for incidents that happen overseas with consumer goods or product related services you supply in Australia.

Reports are confidential, but penalties can apply if you don’t report

Reports are confidential. Making a report does not mean you are admitting that you have done something wrong.
If you do not submit a report you could be found guilty of a criminal or civil offence. You may have to pay a penalty of $3,330 for an individual or $16,650 for a body corporate.

Your report helps prevent other injuries and harm

The ACCC uses information from these reports to identify emerging hazards and risks in consumer goods and product related services. This helps prevent similar injuries, illnesses or deaths.

For more information

The ACCC Product Safety Australia website contains detailed information about mandatory reporting.

The ACCC is urging all businesses who supply button batteries, or products that are powered by them, to ensure they are complying with the new button battery safety standards.
The ACCC is also calling on consumers to check for unsafe button battery products in their homes. For further information, visit the ACCC’s Media Release and Mandatory standards for button and coin batteries.

MarketTram users must ensure that any items they sell comply with the ACCC button battery safety standards.

For further information, visit the ACCC’s Mandatory standards for button and coin batteries.

Report non-complying listings on the ad or Contact Us

New safety standards

There are four new safety regulations for button batteries and products containing button batteries. Suppliers must comply with these safety regulations in order to reduce the risk of death and injury associated with the use of button and coin batteries. 

About button batteries

Button batteries are lurking everywhere in your home — remote controls, kitchen scales, birthday cards, children’s toys, hearing aids and countless other products.

If swallowed, a button battery can become stuck in a child’s throat and result in catastrophic injuries and even death. Insertion of button batteries into body orifices such as ears and noses can also lead to significant injuries.

Knowing the big danger this little battery poses means you can take steps to keep your children safe.

Check before you buy

• Look for products that do not use button batteries at all when buying a toy, household device or novelty item. Other types of batteries are less likely to be swallowed by young children and do not present the same degree of danger if they are. Alternatively, look for products where the battery does not need to be replaced, such as where the product is rechargeable.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
• Check for a child-resistant battery compartment, if you do buy button-battery-operated products. This will make it much more difficult for a young child to access the battery.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
• Buy new button batteries in child-resistant packaging – that is, the packaging needs to be opened with scissors.

Secure button batteries

• Make sure the compartment that houses the button battery in a product is child-resistant, such as being secured with a screw, so that the product does not release the battery and it is difficult for a young child to access it. A number of products, particularly those purchased from overseas sellers or suppliers, may not be child-resistant, so be sure to check that the product you’re after is safe and secure as it can be — even if it means spending a few dollars more.                                                                                                                           
• Even if secure, button battery compartments are not necessarily child-proof. If the product in question is damaged or broken, the button battery inside can come loose. If the product is damaged or the button battery compartment does not close securely, stop using the product and keep it away from children

Store them out of reach of children

• Keep new and used button batteries out of sight and out of reach of children at all times.                                                                                                                                                    
• Keep spare button batteries locked away where it is difficult for children to reach them — lock boxes, secure cupboards or high spaces are perfect for this.

Safely dispose of them immediately

Even when cold or spent, button batteries can still pose a threat, so safely dispose of them immediately.

• As soon as you have finished using a button battery, put sticky tape around both sides of the battery. This will make them less attractive to children and avoid the low risk of them catching fire.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
• Dispose of them immediately in an outside bin, out of reach of children, or recycle safely.

Know what to do in an emergency

If you suspect your child has swallowed or inserted a button battery, call the Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 for 24/7 fast, expert advice. If your child is having any difficulty breathing, contact 000.

Prompt action is critical. Do not wait for symptoms to develop.

Not every health facility can manage injuries due to button batteries. Availability of care depends on where you live. Contacting the Poisons Information Centre will help you to be directed to an appropriate medical facility that can manage the injury.

Do not let the child eat or drink, and do not induce vomiting. 

Remember, children are often unable to effectively communicate that they have swallowed or inserted a button battery. There may be none of the symptoms below. If you suspect a child has swallowed a button battery, then ask for an X-ray from a hospital emergency department to make sure.

Symptoms to watch out for include:

• gagging or choking
• drooling
• chest pain (this may present as grunting)
• coughing or noisy breathing
• unexplained vomiting or food refusal
• bleeding from the gut — black or red vomit or bowel motions
• nose bleeds — sometimes this can be blood vomited through the nose
• unexplained fever
• abdominal pain
• general discomfort
• spitting blood or blood-stained saliva
• bloody discharge from ear or nose

Make others aware of this risk

Make sure that grandparents, or anyone else who cares for your child, are aware of the risks of button batteries and know how to keep children safe from them.

10 November 2020

Since 11 October 2020, the Australian government has made it illegal to supply new and second hand imported quad bikes, also known as All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), in or into Australia which do not comply with the requirements of a new mandatory safety standard.

If you sell a quad bike that fails to comply, you may be in breach of the Australian Consumer Law, which can result in fines and penalties. You should seek legal advice to ensure you comply with the safety standard.

What is the purpose of the safety standard?

The purpose of the safety standard is to reduce the risk of death or serious injury associated with the use of quad bikes. It sets out the requirements for new quad bikes and imported second-hand quad bikes. It is intended to improve information for consumers, to reduce the number of rollovers that are occurring and to protect riders from death and serious crush injuries in the event of a rollover.

What are the new requirements?

The Consumer Goods (Quad Bikes) Safety Standard 2019 commenced on 11 October 2019, and applies to all new and imported second-hand quad bikes. From 11 October 2020, suppliers must ensure their quad bikes:

• meet the requirements within sections 4 to 8 of the American National Standard for four wheel ATVs (ANSI/SVIA 1-2017) or sections 5 to 7 of the European ATV Standard (EN15997:2011)
• have a spark arrester fitted that conforms to Australian Standard AS 1019-2000 or US Standard 5100-d
• have been tested for lateral static stability as per Schedule 1 of the Standard and have a hang tag attached at the point of sale that displays the angle at which it will tip on to two wheels
• have a rollover warning label affixed in a position that is easily visible and legible when the quad bike is in operation
• have an owner’s manual that includes rollover safety information

Additional requirements for general-use (utility) quad bikes become mandatory next year on 11 October 2021. These requirements include the fitting of operator protection devices to help protect riders from being crushed or pinned in the event of a rollover and the setting of minimum stability requirements to help reduce the frequency of rollovers.

Stay up to date

Subscribe to the ACCC quad bike safety standard newsletter to receive important information about the safety standard. The newsletter will provide you with general guidance on how to comply, links to online resources and reminders of important dates.

More information

The ACCC’s Product Safety Australia website contains general guidance material to assist quad bike suppliers to comply with the safety standard. The following resources will help you ensure that your quad bike meets product safety laws:

• Frequently asked questions
• Selling online
• Quad bikes media release

The ACCC cannot provide you with legal advice but can give you general guidance on what is required to comply with the safety standard. If you would like further information or assistance, contact the ACCC at qbtaskforce@accc.gov.au.

It is an offence to import, sell or keep illegal exotic wildlife (or their eggs or offspring) in Victoria without the appropriate licence, permit or authority. Animals such as snakes and reptiles (including lizards and turtles), have been seized in Victoria from the illegal trade.

A notoriously cruel trade, many animals don’t survive being imported into Victoria. By buying illegally imported animals, you could be supporting this cruelty. 

Make sure that any wildlife you buy has been purchased from a legitimate source, and you are appropriately licensed to keep it. Visit www.wildlife.vic.gov.au and www.agriculture.vic.gov.au for more information.

Please report any wildlife being sold on Gumtree through the ‘Report ad’ function on the listing, or direct to Crime Stoppers.

If you have any information regarding the illegal importation or sale of wildlife in Victoria, please report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or at the Crime Stoppers Victoria website.

The trading of plants, which have been prohibited as weeds under State or Federal legislation, is not allowed. 
Plant species may be prohibited from sale as weeds if they have negative impacts on agriculture, the environment, or human health. Propagation, sale and transportation of these species could result in them becoming established and affecting new locations, causing greater problems. These bans include prohibition of sale and transport of seeds, as well as any part of the plant.

Plant sellers need to be aware of two related but distinct issues:

• It is prohibited to sell a plant banned from sale or transportation under relevant legislation in the State or Territory where you are located. 

• It is prohibited to sell a plant banned from sale or transportation under relevant legislation in the State or Territory where the buyer is located (i.e. if sending a plant to a buyer in another State or Territory). It is an offence to send a plant into a State or Territory where it is prohibited even if there are no restrictions on it in the seller’s State. Sellers are responsible for checking the legal status of the plant in the buyer’s jurisdiction.

It is your responsibility to make sure that plants offered for sale are correctly named. Some cases of illegal trading may be inadvertent, due to sellers not knowing what they are offering.
Sellers should also be aware of plant quarantine legislation that may prevent the interstate movement of soil or plant material that could carry pathogens.

Things you should know

2 November 2020

Have you checked if the plumbing and draining products you are buying or installing are certified for use in Australia?

In Australia most plumbing and drainage products must be WaterMark certified. But, what does this mean?

The WaterMark Certification Scheme is a mandatory national scheme for plumbing and drainage products to ensure they are fit for purpose and appropriately authorised for use in plumbing and drainage installations. This means that a material or product has been tested and evaluated to an approved product specification and certified by an accredited organisation.

How do I know if a plumbing product is WaterMark certified?

Certified products can be identified by the WaterMark certification trademark, which must appear on a product or its packaging, along with its WaterMark licence number and the applicable product specification. Certified products are listed on the WaterMark Product Database.

The WaterMark Product Database provides consumers, industry professionals and regulators an access point to confirm if a product has been certified before purchasing or installing the product. This simple check helps ensure that your plumbing and drainage systems work properly and the water you use is safe.

All products that are intended for use in a plumbing and drainage installation must undergo a risk assessment to identify any likely risk of manufacturing faults and installation failures. Products with identified risks that require mitigation through the Scheme are listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products. Likewise, products with identified risks that don’t require WaterMark certification are listed on the Schedule of Excluded Products. Both schedules can be found on the WaterMark website, found here. 

How does the Product Database work?

A certified plumbing or drainage product that has been evaluated to the applicable product specification is issued with a WaterMark certificate of conformity, including a WaterMark licence number. The product and its certification details must also be listed on the WaterMark Product Database.

The WaterMark Product Database allows users to search for certificates and products by WaterMark licence number, brand and/or model name, model ID, licensee name or product description.

The search filter options provide refined search results that allow you to search by product category, product specifications or brand name. From the search results, you can select a specific certificate/product to view more detailed information.

The WaterMark Product Database is located on the WaterMark website and can be viewed on portable devices. A short video, Using the Product Database, is also available to help you navigate the WaterMark Product Database, search for certificates or products, and download key information.

What does it mean if you can’t find a WaterMark or licence number on either the product, its packaging or on the WaterMark Product Database?

It could mean one of three things:

1. Not all plumbing and drainage materials or products require WaterMark certification. Check the Schedule of Excluded Products to see if the product is listed there.

2. It could be that a new product that has not yet had a risk evaluation undertaken to determine whether it is required to be WaterMark certified or not.

3. It has not been WaterMark certified, which means it may not be authorised for use. If in doubt about whether a product needs or has WaterMark certification, you should check with your plumbing practitioner or approving authority.

Remember, a simple check of the WaterMark Product Database next time you are considering purchasing or installing tapware, toilets, showerheads or any other plumbing product, can go a long way to ensure the health and safety of you, your family and even your neighbours.

For more information, or to check the WaterMark Product Database, click here. 

Safety information about bidet products

When buying or selling bidet products online (toilet seat bidet douches, handheld bidet sprays and trigger sprays, and other bidet type products that are connected to toilet water supply outlets), it’s important to make sure the installation is undertaken by a licensed plumber.

To be legally installed in Australia, bidet products must be certified through the WaterMark Certification Scheme which ensures they are certified to the appropriate product specification, fit for purpose and authorised for use in plumbing and drainage installations.

Sellers are required to ensure that the bidet products they are listing on Gumtree, or its packaging, is marked with the WaterMark certification trademark and a licence number.

Listings relating to bidet products cannot be false or misleading suggesting they are suitable for Do It Yourself (DIY) installation if they are not and require installation by a licensed plumber. DIY installations of plumbing and drainage work, including bidet products, could put the health and safety of you and your family at risk and are illegal.

Please note that this does not apply to portable products such as bidet douche bottles and sitz baths that are not connected to drinking water supply.

Please refer to the links below for more information:

• Product safety information on supplying and installing bidet products
• WaterMark Certification Scheme
• WaterMark information brochure