[Received by email]

SUBMISSION: Standards and Accreditation Study

NO CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL

The primary purpose of Australian Standards is to provide a reference as to minimum acceptable performance or practice for products and services produced in Australia.
Australian Standards are increasingly becoming legal requirements.  For instance, the Building Code of Australia requires compliance with referenced Australian Standards.
Unlike many other laws, Australian Standards are not freely available to the public.  As an example it is possible to freely access Corporations Law via the Internet, and to download information and print hard copy.  Australian Standards are available via the Internet only by payment of a fee.
Australian Standards are generally the result of voluntary contributions by Australian people, organizations and corporations.  Australian Standards rightfully belong to the Australian people in the same manner as Australian Parliamentary legislation.
I submit that Australian Standards should be freely available to the Australian public, preferably via the Internet.

Allan Maple 
NSW