Wondering whether you can read the Australian Standards to learn how your new home should be built? Short answer: not for free, at least not easily. Here's why, and what you can do instead.
The free access to Australian standards, previously available in public libraries across Australia, came to an end in 2018.
It affects a wide range of industries and everyday Australians, and it raises real questions about access to critical information and the balance between commercial interests and the public good.
What Are Australian Standards?
Australian Standards cover everything from food handling to how homes are built. Many are called up by the National Construction Code (NCC), which makes them effectively part of the law. They're developed by Standards Australia, the country's peak non-government, not-for-profit standards body.
The Breakdown of Accessibility
Free library access ended in 2018. Until then, anyone could read the standards for free, in hard copy or online, through the national and state libraries. That mattered most to small businesses and individuals who rely on standards for compliance and safety but can't afford expensive subscriptions.
It ended when negotiations broke down between National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) and SAI Global, which then held the exclusive rights to sell and distribute the standards. Since then, a single standard typically costs from around $100 to over $500.
Update: SAI Global's exclusive licence expired in 2019. Standards are now sold through Standards Australia's own online store and other distributors, but they're still paid products. Check with your state library or TAFE for any current access arrangements.
The Impact of Restricted Access
The implications of this change are profound:
- Higher costs for small businesses and consumers: Small businesses often run on tight margins, and paying for multiple standards that apply to their work can be prohibitive.
- Safety and compliance: Free access made it easy for businesses and individuals to comply with safety rules. Restricting it increases the risk of non-compliance.
- Public vs commercial interests: Standards called up in the law are integral to public safety, and like legislation, should arguably be freely accessible.
The Way Forward
One option is to follow New Zealand. The government brought Standards New Zealand inside the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), and now funds free downloads of many building standards cited in the Building Code.
Digital technology also makes broad access cheaper than ever.
Could a more modern, digital-first approach to the distribution of these standards help bridge the gap between cost recovery for publishers and public accessibility?
Conclusion
The standards debate is part of a bigger one about access to information, the public good, and the role of private businesses in distributing critical regulatory material. The hope is for an arrangement that puts public access first.
What Can You Do About This?
Take action! Write to your federal MP and the Assistant Minister responsible for building, and tell them standards called up in the NCC should be free. In my view, commercial interests have been put ahead of public access. Standards are fully digital, so the extra cost of access is minimal, and Standards Australia could be compensated fairly for making them public.
Meanwhile, homeowners aren't completely in the dark. The NCC and the ABCB's handbooks are free online, manufacturers' installation guides are free, and our stage checklists summarise the key standard requirements at each stage of your build. Understanding what "normal" construction looks like is the best way to hold poor workmanship to account.
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