Standards Australia is a standards organisation established in 1922 and is recognised through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian government as the peak non-government standards development body in Australia. It is a company limited by guarantee, with 73 members representing groups interested in the development and application of technical standards and related products and services. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth and Standards Australia recognises Standards Australia as Australia’s representative on the International Organization for Standardization, the International Electrotechnical Commission and the Pacific Area Standards Congress. Standards Australia develops internationally aligned Australian standards and participates in standards-related activities that deliver benefit to the nation. Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand work together to develop joint standards. Standards Australia is also the Principal Sponsor of the Australian International Design Awards. In 2003 Standards Australia sold its commercial businesses to SAI Global Limited and SAI Global Ltd was floated on the Australian Stock Exchange. Initially it retained a 40% interest in SAI Global, but progressively sold this shareholding down to zero, enabling it to focus exclusively on its core business of developing and managing its collection of approximately 7000 Australian standards and representing Australia's interests in international standardisation. In 2016 SAI Global was acquired by Baring Private Equity Asia and delisted from the ASX. The standard costs an average of, and after negotiations broke down with National and State Libraries Australia, the standards were removed from public libraries. As a result, many groups including the Building Products Innovation Council, Master Builders Association, an Australian Senate Economics Reference Committee and Choice have called for the standard to be brought back into government control and made freely accessible. Heated discussions continue throughout the industry as many believe that a national standard should be provided free of charge to the relevant members of that industry. Imminent release of the new AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical Installations standard has sparked a renewed campaign to see this actioned by Standards Australia. The publishing agreement currently held by SAI Global is due to expire in 2018 causing increased pressure to liberate the standards.
