National Measurement Institute facts for kids
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Lindfield, New South Wales |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Parent agency | Department of Industry, Innovation and Science |
The National Measurement Institute (NMI) is a really important group in Australia. It makes sure that all kinds of measurements are correct and fair. This includes things like how we measure chemicals, how much something weighs, or even how long something is. NMI works with the Australian Government to do this.
The History of NMI
The NMI was started in 2004. It was created by bringing together three different groups. These groups were the National Measurement Laboratory, the National Standards Commission, and the Australian Government Analytical Laboratories.
The National Measurement Laboratory used to be part of CSIRO. CSIRO is a big science research group in Australia. By joining these groups, NMI became stronger and could do more.
Later, on 1 July 2010, NMI took on another big job. It became responsible for "trade measurement" across all of Australia. This means making sure that when you buy things like fruit by weight, the scales are correct.
What NMI Does
NMI is Australia's main organisation for measurement. It is in charge of the national measurement system. This system makes sure that all measurements in Australia are accurate and consistent.
NMI also looks after Australia's main standards of measurement. These are like the official "rulers" for everything. They make sure that a kilogram in Sydney is the same as a kilogram in Perth.
Supporting Australian Industry
NMI does a lot of important work to help Australia's economy. They do special research to improve how we measure things. They also provide rules and technical help for using measurement standards.
NMI works closely with businesses and the government. They offer their expert knowledge about measurement. They also provide services like checking if equipment is accurate (called calibration).
They also test chemicals and other materials. Another important job is checking if new products meet certain standards. This is called pattern approval testing. NMI helps Australia have strong standards for everything we use and make.
The person in charge of NMI is called the Chief Executive Officer. The current Chief Metrologist is Dr Bruce Warrington.
