Thread: Australian Standards source

As far as I'm aware, there is no "free" source for Australian Standards access. I used to have access to paid sites when I was working, but not any longer. I do have quite a lot of Australian Standards on my hard drive, but I'm not sure of the legality of posting them on the internet - I would expect that it would be illegal given where they came from.

Originally Posted by ErrolFlynn

Does anyone know if there is a source for Australian Standards that's free to the public?

I found this website. Interesting reading. I was tempted to browse, and I did, but just as it was getting interesting the text stopped and I was asked for a payment of between $115 and $193. That’s not going to happen.

Suggestion: if anyone has any Standards it might be useful to post them on the forum. We’ve got a category called ‘library’ that would be the perfect spot. I know they get out of date. Whoever has the latest could re-post the update.

Why should they? Altruism. And, information like that should be freely available.

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The standards are copyright and any attempt to release them publicly will quickly result in a CEASE AND DESIST' letter from their lawyers.
For those that are not aware the Government long ago outsourced the setting up and maintenance of the standards to the private sector and given that they are expensive to set up and maintain this is why they cost money.

The amount they charge for access is another matter.

Depending on what you want to do with the standards there are ways around it. I have purchased a couple of standards for my own company and I have access to most of the electrical standards through work but if I need to use, for example, AS/NZ3008 to work out what size cable to use for a particular circuit there are plenty of free calculators online that use the information from AS3008 to select the cable for you.
I'm sure there are plenty of non electrical ones if you need to calculate spans or roof loads or whatever.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

… if I need to use, for example, AS/NZ3008 to work out what size cable to use for a particular circuit there are plenty of free calculators online that use the information from AS3008 to select the cable for you.

Is that kosher though? If you are obliged to comply with a particular AS, is using a free online calculator that claims to produce results that comply with that standard acceptable? How can you be sure the calculator is correct?

Originally Posted by BobL

For those that are not aware the Government long ago outsourced the setting up and maintenance of the standards to the private sector and given that they are expensive to set up and maintain this is why they cost money.

The standards should be paid for by the trades that pay the ridiculous licencing fees. eg. My electrical licence costs me $677 for 3 years and my mechanics licence costs me $166 for 3 years, I'm not using either licences for my current employment but if I let them expire it will be very difficult to get them back. What do I get for my $843 for 3 years?? Absolutely nothing, it's just a money grab by the Government. If I want a copy of the Electrical Standards I have to pay for them too, I think they should be included in the Licencing fees.

Originally Posted by whitey66

If I want a copy of the Electrical Standards I have to pay for them too, I think they should be included in the Licencing fees.

NZ electricians have access to electrical standards through their Registration Board (EWRB). The NZ government made building standards that weren't joint AS/NZS free to access.

NZ is leading the way, it seems. A decision with foresight.

The standards being hidden behind a paywall and the Government handing over control and commerce of them to an "outsourced party" is a ploy for them to "distance" themselves from the rorting being carried out by licensed trades.
It's way past time it was cracked open and let the immigrant tradies force the labor costs down like every other industry or profession has had to suffer.

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

The standards being hidden behind a paywall and the Government handing over control and commerce of them to an "outsourced party" is a ploy for them to "distance" themselves from the rorting being carried out by licensed trades.

That doesn’t make any sense.

A bit of info on how it operates

Standards Australia - Wikipedia