2024 AS/NZS Standards Feedback- (De-Jointing Standards)

The situation

 In June 2024, the Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment (MBIE) and the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) hosted a joint trans-Tasman industry forum to discuss standards alignment and regulatory coherence issues and opportunities to further the outcomes of the Single Economic Market. At this forum, it was clear that the divergence of settings through the de-jointing of joint standards is an issue of importance to all parties.

MBIE and DISR, working closely with Business New Zealand and the Australian Industry Group, have since developed a joint workplan which includes exploring ways to realign trans-Tasman settings and prevent future de-jointing of standards. Some of you may have already provided advice to MBIE on specific de-jointed standards that are valuable to your sectors.

To support this, Standards NZ has looked at our records of all the joint standards that have de-jointed over the past eight years and developed sector specific lists. We are sharing these lists with you, where relevant, and in confidence, as either a member of a relevant standards development committee, industry group or government agency. Where you work across multiple sectors, you may receive a couple of these emails with the different sector lists attached.

 How you can help

 Looking at the list specific to your sector, we would like you to tell us which of the de-jointed standards you believe would be most valuable to realign, and importantly, why. The sector specific lists can be sorted by subsector, whether they are cited in regulations and legislation or not, and when the de-jointing occurred. The list focuses on standards that have de-jointed due to New Zealand’s decision to opt out of participating in joint standards reviews.

 Your feedback will help us progress work to determine feasible and priority options for future standards realignment.

 Both New Zealand and Australia also recognise the value of using and adopting international standards. In the same way that joint standards provide trade facilitation, efficiency and interoperability of products and services between Australia and New Zealand, international standards offer these benefits on a more global scale. We are also interested in your opinion of whether any of the joint standards on the list should be replaced with international standards (including potentially doing this jointly with Australia) instead. 

 We have provided a templated form (attached) for your feedback, and would appreciate your response by 11 October 2024. Please reply to this email or send your responses to engagement.SNZ@mbie.govt.nz

 I’d like to thank you for supporting this important work. With limited resources and capacity within the New Zealand standards system, understanding the best practical value of trans-Tasman alignment will be crucial in the development of a system that ensures New Zealand uses the most up-to-date and applicable standards to support our trans-Tasman economic relationship, growth and prosperity.

 Nāku iti nei, nā

Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment