The Building Commission wishes to advise members of the building industry that the Australian Government has now finalised its response to the Review of the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010, commonly known as the ‘Premises Standards’. The review and response are now publicly available.

On 1 May 2011 the Building Code of Australia (BCA) was amended to achieve consistency with the Access Code for buildings (Schedule 1 of the Premises Standards), and the Premises Standards came into effect. The objectives of the Premises Standards are:

• to ensure that dignified, equitable, cost-effective and reasonably achievable access to buildings, and facilities and services within buildings, is provided for people with a disability; and
• to give certainty to building certifiers, building developers and building managers that, if access to buildings is provided in accordance with the Premises Standards, the provision of that access, to the extent covered by the Premises Standards, will not be unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

Further information, including the review and government response, can be found on the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science website.