On Monday, Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar announced the federal government would introduce new mandatory standards across all consumer products requiring manufacturers to have secure battery compartments. Manufacturers must also undertake compliance testing to demonstrate batteries are secure, supply higher-risk batteries in child-resistant packaging, and place additional warnings and emergency advice on packaging and instructions. The standards will be introduced over the next 18 months.
Consumer group CHOICE welcomed the new mandatory standard, for which it had been campaigning over the past few years. Product safety campaigner Amy Pereira said the introduction of the long-awaited standards was "a momentous day for parents and families".