Get ready for the - New Zealand Electrical Conference 2025
Many industries in New Zealand and Australia have long worked with and relied upon joint technical standards – referred to as AS/NZS standards. This makes economic sense given the high levels of investment, trade and skills that flow between our national economies.
In recent years, funding issues have led to de-jointing of these product and installation standards, which adversely impacts consumer assurance and business certainty. At Master Electricians centenary, as we advocate for re-jointing and steps to prevent future de-jointing, we share the founding story of joint standards and recap their important rationale.
Since the early 1990s, Joint Australian and New Zealand Standards, developed collaboratively, have been promoting interoperability, safety and smooth trade. The objective was to reduce trade barriers and further advance the single economic market between New Zealand and Australia.
Removal of regulatory impediments to trade – such as different standards for goods – jumped forward in 1997 with the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA). TTMRA aims to lower business costs, improve competitiveness, and increase consumer choice and regulatory co-operation. The arrangement provides for goods legally sold in one country to be sold in the other and for mutual recognition of equivalent registered occupations such as electricians, which helps promote a seamless trans-Tasman economic environment.
Standards New Zealand and Standards Australia collaborate to develop joint standards (AS/NZS) and they are developed through technical committees.
In the electrical domain, the launch pad for joint standards was the Wiring Rules contained in the landmark document AS/NZS 3000: 2000. This first combined Australian and New Zealand Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL/1 and published in 1999. It was a year 2000 edition.
The New Zealand interests represented on the committee included the Electrical Contractors Association of New Zealand, New Zealand Electrical Institute, Electrical Safety Organization and Ministry of Commerce. Australian interests ranged from the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association and Institution of Engineers Australia to the Australian Building Codes Board and Insurance Council of Australia Limited.
AS/NZS 3000 brought in some significant changes. The Standard introduced internationally accepted performance-based fundamental safety requirements. Many of the prescriptive work practices contained in previous editions of AS 3000 were removed in favour of an outcome-based approach. This responded to an industry viewpoint that the prescriptive ‘how to’ model was too restrictive and suppressed industry innovation. AS/NZS 3000:2007, however, restored many of the prescriptive elements. The Standard was split into an outcome-based part and a prescriptive part.
The Australian/New Zealand Wiring Rules have continued to evolve to reflect changes in equipment, technology, techniques, work practices and lifestyles. AS/NZS 3000:2018, Electrical Installations, involved over 200 changes. The Wiring Rules are an example of how standards can interact with not just the technical experts but nearly all of us – for example, through the simple changing of a lightbulb.
Joint Standards have been a bedrock of New Zealand’s electrical industry. They ensure that products, processes, and services comply with both countries’ regulations, facilitating smoother trade and reducing compliance costs for businesses operating trans-Tasman. They are vital for public safety and confidence and quality assurance because they ensure that electrical products and installations meet rigorous safety criteria.
As Master Electricians celebrates its Centenary, addressing de-jointing of standards is a key focus in our advocacy for the electrical sector and consumers. This is where a joint AS/NZS standard continues as a standard in New Zealand or Australia. Without joint standards, companies face increased complexity, potential trade barriers, and higher costs due to the need to meet different regulatory requirements.
While de-jointing raises concerns about safety and the risk of substandard products entering the market, it’s important to note that New Zealand has equal voting power in the development of international standards, just like any other member country. In some cases, aligning with international standards can be advantageous, whether through direct adoption or with modifications tailored to New Zealand’s specific needs—though the latter comes with additional costs. However, direct adoption can also be problematic, as international standards may not always align with New Zealand’s unique regulatory, environmental, or industry-specific contexts. Ensuring these standards are fit for purpose often requires careful assessment and, where necessary, adjustments to suit local conditions.
Past discussions about proposed changes to fundamental standards—AS/NZS 3001, AS/NZS 3002, AS/NZS 3010, and AS/NZS 3012—highlighted the very real risks of de-jointing. At the time, Australia requested financial contributions from New Zealand to progress updates to these standards, warning that without support, they could be de-jointed. Fortunately, the project driving these updates has since been put on hold, meaning these standards are safe for now. However, this situation highlights the fragility of the current funding model for maintaining joint standards. Without a sustainable funding solution, the risk of future de-jointing remains a pressing concern, posing challenges for industries and regulators alike across the Tasman.
Unlike other standards bodies globally, Standards New Zealand operates on a 100% user-pays model, without direct government funding. The disjointing dilemma is that the funding model to cover costs of coordinating joint standards development is outdated.
Standards Australia acts as the secretariat for many AS/NZS standards. Participation fees range from $7,000 to $80,000 per standard and became more burdensome when Standards New Zealand was absorbed in 2016 into the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment but without updating the funding model. Consequently, over 500 joint Australia-NZ standards have been de-jointed since 2016, and more are being de-jointed each month.
The alternatives to directly solving the core problem of de-jointing are regressive, and Master Electricians with other industry groups is asking the Government to find a sustainable solution. The backstory of Joint Standards and this recap of their rationale underpins the extraordinary importance of harmonised standards to building a better New Zealand.