Right to Repair flagged as productivity priority, farm machinery to be included

The Australian government has committed to extending Right to Repair reforms to agricultural machinery in the policy’s most significant expansion since the pioneering Motor Vehicle Information Sharing (MVIS) Scheme was introduced in July 2022.

In a move being framed as a major productivity lever for regional Australia, federal treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed “the Commonwealth will extend the ‘Right to Repair’ reforms to agricultural machinery” as part of the National Competition Policy agenda, putting agricultural repair access firmly on the national reform map.

The commitment was presaged during the 2025 Australian Repair Summit at the National Library of Australia in October – coinciding with International Repair Day – where industry leaders and government representatives agreed that repair access has shifted from a consumer rights matter to a major productivity issue.

Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) chief executive Stuart Charity welcomed the announcement but stressed that reform must be backed by practical access rules.

“This is a landmark competition reform for regional Australia,” Mr Charity said.

“But a Right to Repair law is only as real as its delivery mechanisms. Independent technicians need day-to-day access to the service and repair information, tools, software functions and parts that make safe and timely repairs possible.

“The test is simple: can a qualified independent repairer get what they need, when they need it, at a fair price – so machinery gets back to work?”

Mr Charity highlighted the economic gains already achieved by the Motor Vehicle Information Sharing (MVIS) Scheme since it was introduced three years ago, saying the framework demonstrated how smart, sector-specific reform could lift productivity and competition.

Since the MVIS began, 65 per cent of independent repairers have reported productivity improvements, while vehicle turn-aways have fallen by 40 per cent.

Treasury analysis shows the sector’s turnover has risen by about 6.7 per cent, equivalent to $1.8 billion in annual productivity growth.

AAAA director of government relations and advocacy Lesley Yates told the summit that the event clearly connected repair access to Australia’s broader economic challenges.

“Right to Repair is a practical productivity lever,” Ms Yates said.

“When information and tools are available on fair terms, workshops and farms get back to work faster, costs fall and communities benefit.”

Assistant competition, charities and treasury minister Andrew Leigh described Right to Repair as “a cornerstone productivity reform rather than a niche consumer issue”.

Dr Leigh cited the Productivity Commission’s finding that agricultural Right to Repair measures could lift Australia’s GDP by $97 million a year, adding that “ownership should mean control”.

Repair delays can lead to missed planting and harvest windows, extended downtime, and significant cost and productivity losses across regional supply chains.

“In the ag-machinery space, this is a big deal because it’s a high-stakes poker game,” said GrainGrowers Association representative Sean Cole.

“There can be high financial losses in downtime and in crop losses.”

The AAAA’s latest national research confirmed the scale of the problem, showing that access restrictions create substantial time and cost impacts for repairers, equipment owners and regional communities.

In agricultural machinery, the top barrier reported by workshops was limited access to service and repair information – rising to 68 per cent in regional areas.

The research also highlighted the productivity drain created by inaccessible information, finding that the average time to diagnose a fault without information is 7.6 hours, rising to 12.7 hours for workshops interested in agricultural machinery but constrained by access barriers.

Mr Charity acknowledged the Australian Repair Network for its leadership, with particular recognition of Professor Leanne Wiseman and the AAAA’s Ms Yates for longstanding policy coordination.

“This outcome reflects years of disciplined advocacy and the lived experience of farmers and regional repairers who kept showing up and telling the truth about what lock-outs really mean on the ground,” Mr Charity said.

The AAAA said the government’s commitment must now be matched with a practical implementation model including clear rules for what information must be shared, how it is accessed, timeframes, fair pricing and effective oversight.