Testing Laboratory Registration Council

Accreditation in New Zealand was legislated for in 1972 with the passing of the Testing Laboratory Registration Act.  The Testing Laboratory Registration Council was formally established on 1 January 1973, adopting Telarc New Zealand as its operational name.  Telarc New Zealand became the second such body in the world and was closely modelled on the Australian accreditation body, NATA.

The act was amended in 1983, requiring the Council to promote the development and maintenance of good quality assurance practices in the supply of goods and services, and to maintain a registration scheme of those who comply with that practice.

The Testing Laboratory Registration Council is a user-funded statutory body.  The Council reports annually to Parliament through the Minister of Commerce. It receives no crown funding for its operations.

International Accreditation New Zealand

In July 1997 management of the accreditation and certification functions was separated.  The name of the accreditation service was changed to International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ).  IANZ also assumed management of the Council's training division, the New Zealand Quality College.  The Telarc name remained with the management certification service, which is now trading as Telarc Limited, with its own Board reporting to the Council.

IANZ operates in accordance to (and fully complies with) the international standard ISO/IEC 17011:2004 General requirements for bodies providing assessment and accreditation of conformity assessment bodies
(ISO/IEC 17011 replaced ISO/IEC Guide 58, ISO/IEC Guide 61, and ISO/IEC 17010 in November 2004).

IANZ Accreditation

The testing, measurement or inspection of items, products, equipment or materials is invariably undertaken to provide data upon which a decision will be based.  Accurate and reliable reports or certificates that can demonstrate a disciplined commitment to quality laboratory management are essential.

Accreditation by IANZ is the international process for assessing and recognising the technical competence and the effective quality processes of a professional service and its staff.  You can be assured that laboratories displaying the IANZ Accreditation mark follow the best international technical and management systems standards.

Accreditation is confirmation of five essential points:

1. Competence and experience of staff.
2. Integrity and traceability of equipment and materials.
3. Technical validity of methods.
4. Validity and suitability of results.
5. Compliance with ISO management systems standards.

Accreditation by IANZ is in accordance to the international conformity assessment standards established by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

International Recognition

IANZ is recognised as a world leader in accreditation.  It was a founder member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the regional equivalent, Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC).  Bilateral and multilateral Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) have been established with similar bodies in member countries around the world.  IANZ staff regularly represent New Zealand on technical committees developing and reviewing standards under the umbrella of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

Test calibration and/or inspection reports from IANZ accredited organisations are recognised worldwide through Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) with sixty-three other counterpart authorities in forty-eight other economies.

Mutual Recognition Arrangements enable test and inspection reports from the exporting country to be accepted in the importing country, avoiding requirements for re-testing and saving exporters time and money.  Accreditation is voluntary, in that laboratories and inspection bodies are not required by law to be accredited.  But accreditation is increasingly recognised by regulators worldwide as evidence of competence to carry out testing or inspection for mandatory purposes.