MEDIA RELEASE: AIHS WELCOMES BUDGET COMMITMENT TO FREE ACCESS TO MANDATORY STANDARDS AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY

Date: 14/05/26

The Australian Institute of Health & Safety (AIHS) has welcomed the Australian Government’s 2026–27 Federal Budget commitment to support free public read-only access to Australian Standards referenced in Commonwealth, state and territory legislation.

The Budget includes $42.7 million over four years from 2026–27 to provide ongoing grants to Standards Australia to deliver the reform.

AIHS Chief Executive Officer Julia Whitford said the announcement marks a significant step forward on an issue the Institute has advocated on since 2018.

“Standards that people are legally required to comply with should not sit behind a paywall,” Ms Whitford said.

“This commitment will help reduce unnecessary barriers for businesses and workplace health and safety professionals, and support clearer understanding of the requirements that underpin safe work.”

The Government has described the measure as supporting free access to mandatory Australian Standards across areas including construction, occupational health and safety, and product safety.

The AIHS sees this as an important first step and hopes it will provide a pathway toward broader free access to all mandatory Australian Standards over time.

“After many years of advocacy, we welcome this important commitment and looks forward to seeing the detail of how sponsored access will be implemented,” Ms Whitford said.

“We will continue to advocate on the issues that matter most to our members and the profession, particularly where reform can strengthen practice, support safer work and improve outcomes across Australian workplaces.”

ENDS

Media Enquiries:
AIHS Contact: Rebecca Turnbull
Tel: (03) 8336 1995
Email: [email protected]

About the AIHS: With a 77-year history, the Australian Institute of Health & Safety (AIHS) is the peak body representing workplace health and safety professionals, with a vision for safe and healthy people in productive workplaces and communities. The AIHS works with industry, government, regulators, unions, and experts to improve regulation, policy, safety standards and training.