Electrical, electric, electronic compliance, safety and regulation in Australia

[beerandpizzaplz]

With regard to other countries selling non compliant electrical appliances into Australia - directly against ebay's policy:

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/prohibited-restricted-items?id=420...

Within that: "The sale of electronic equipment in Australia is regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority"

The relavent bit from that site:

"The EMC LN requires a supplier (a manufacturer, importer or their authorised agent) of products (other than low-risk devices) subject to the EMC regulatory arrangements to apply a compliance label to a product before it can be supplied to the Australian market"

- Anything you can plug into the mains supply is NOT 'low risk' only things like battery or solar powered items may considered low risk, and NOT all of them either.

If you buy one of these items you are legally the importer:

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/busi/cargo-support-trade-and-goods/importing-goods/importing-by-post-...

"If you receive parcels in the mail from outside Australia you are the importer of those goods, even if the goods were unsolicited."

and you may become subject to the EMC requirements yourself - definetly in the case of onselling items.

To report non compliant junk directly to the ACMA:

https://complaint.acma.gov.au/Infiniti/Produce/wizard/bf1e9034-9424-46da-8f9c-80b908e7822b/?Portal=1...

and fill in their form.

To report them on ebay you need to do so for each item using the report link, as far as i know you can't report multiple listings?

Something like that could be changed - because honestly i would probably report multiple item numbers but going through the report item for each and every one of the thousands of listings on ebay isn't something I have time for.

[beerandpizzaplz]

And yes i am a cranky crank with a bee in my bonnet.

[beerandpizzaplz]

Especially cranky now that i have decided to begin reporting some to ebay only to find that their report form contains no option to report these items for

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

or anything approaching that - despite it being a main part of their own criteria of prohibited/restricted items for sale.

[kopenhagen5]

First select Prohibited and Restricted items.

Then Electronics and finally other electronic concerns.

[beerandpizzaplz]

Then Electronics and finally other electronic concerns.

It would be

>>Prohibited and Restricted items.

>>Electronics and electronic surveillance equipment.

>>Other electronics and electronic surveillance equipment.

The average joe ebay employee who has to review thousands of complaints a day is going to glance at an (electric drill for instance) and think "pff that aint no surveillance equipment", and my, and any other similar reports will be ignored.

My angry caps stand, there needs to be a 'detailed reason" titled "Electrical Safety".

(sorry kope i love your work) 

[letscleanupmycupboards]

Surely it's on the end user to ensure it's safe and appropriate especially if secondhand? I've ordered power packs from overseas (240v to 12v power supplies) for secondhand items that were missing the power pack then onsold the items with the power supply. I believe there's a blanket rule for buyers of secondhand electrical items to ensure they are tested and safe before use. Every council recycle centre, life line shop etc has the same disclaimer.

[beerandpizzaplz]

"Surely it's on the end user to ensure it's safe and appropriate especially if secondhand? I've ordered power packs from overseas (240v to 12v power supplies) for secondhand items that were missing the power pack then onsold the items with the power supply"

Yes it is generally on the end user - simply because as far as ebay goes, the end user is usually the one who bought the goods from other countries - thereby as the extract in my opening post shows - they are considered the importer of the article, and as the importer are required to ensure that it is compliant with EMC requirements.

Any power packs (that plug into mains power) do also have to comply - even if they are powering second hand equipment.

Yes there is ~sort of a blanket rule for second hand items:

http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/technical-information/electrical-appliances-and-equipment/sale-and-supply-...

Its for Victoria, but all states have similar requirements.

Doubt you would find any second hand stuff on ebay that actually complies with it though