Imagine being told you have to obey a rule, then being asked to pay to read it.
For too long, that has been the bizarre position facing many tradies when it comes to mandatory Australian Standards. The rules they are required to follow have often sat behind a paid access system.
Under federal government changes, it will soon be free to access mandatory Australian Standards.
The reform is a no‑brainer. When a standard becomes part of the law, people should have clear access to it.
Standards are the instruction manuals that help modern life hum along. They describe how products should be made, how systems should perform and how work should be carried out. They help keep homes and workplaces safe.
You might only notice standards when something goes wrong. In actual fact, they're working around us every day.
Have you ever followed an EXIT sign during a fire drill? If so, that sign would have been made under AS/NZS 2293, the standard for emergency lighting and exit signage.
If you're reading this on a computer monitor bought in Australia, that screen had to display an Energy Rating Label and meet energy efficiency requirements set out in AS/NZS 5815.2:2013.
Standards are everywhere: building sites, electrical work, plumbing, consumer goods, transport, manufacturing, workplace safety and the handling of hazardous materials.
And because they're everywhere, they're used by thousands of people. Standards shape the work of electricians, plumbers, builders, manufacturers, safety officers and small business owners across the country.
The Australian Government estimates that for a small construction firm, free access to construction and electrical standards could save up to $1600 a year.
For a tradie, $1600 can mean another piece of equipment. For a small business, $1600 can help pay a bill. For a start‑up, $1600 can make it easier to enter a market and take on the big dogs.
Free access to Australian standards also helps consumers. When businesses can check the rules easily, they're more likely to get them right. That means safer work and better products.
It should not cost money to find out what rules apply when running a business. Whether it is a builder preparing for a job, a plumber checking bathroom fit‑out requirements, or a small manufacturer bringing a product to market, access to mandatory requirements should be simple and free.
The Productivity Commission has found that putting the law behind a paywall imposes a fixed cost that undermines safety and puts start‑ups and small firms at a competitive disadvantage. It's vital that Australia increases building sector productivity, given that the number of homes completed per worker‑hour is lower today than it was in the 1990s.
Free access to mandatory standards supports the government's revitalised National Competition Policy, a joint reform program between the Commonwealth, states and territories. The aim is to boost productivity - lifting wages and living standards.
Competition works best when smaller players can enter the field and grow. When a new business faces high upfront costs just to read the rules, the playing field tilts towards the established players. Making mandatory standards free gives start‑ups a fairer chance.
This reform also makes the law fairer. When governments set standards, we should ensure people know what those standards are. A legal requirement should be clear to the people expected to follow it.
For tradies, free standards mean one less cost and a whole lot less hassle.
For the economy, free standards mean more competition and innovation.
For consumers, free standards mean safer products and lower costs, including in housing.
To find out when free access becomes available, tradies and businesses can register on the Standards Australia website.
This reform backs the people who build, wire, plumb, manufacture and repair, while giving consumers more confidence in the work being done.
We let drivers freely read the road rules before they get behind the wheel. We should let tradies freely read Australian Standards before they pick up the tools.
