AUTOMOTIVE groups have welcomed proposals to expand the right-to-repair scheme to agricultural machinery and make improvements to the service and repair information sharing scheme.

They said that the proposals would strengthen competition, consumer choice and productivity in the repair markets.

The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) CEO Stuart Charity said the release by the federal government of a discussion paper was a “very welcome development”.

AAAA CEO Mr Charity

In congratulating minister Dr Andrew Leigh – assistant minister for productivity, competition, charities and treasury – for his leadership on right-to-repair and competition reform, Mr Charity said the discussion paper “shows the government understands that right-to-repair is not an abstract policy debate — it is about keeping vehicles, machinery, businesses and communities moving”.

“For motorists, farmers and small businesses, timely and affordable access to repair is critical,” Mr Charity said.

“Whether it is a family car, a delivery vehicle or a tractor during harvest, people need the freedom to choose where they get their vehicle or machinery repaired.”

The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has also welcomed the release of the discussion paper that expands the right-to-repair framework to agricultural machinery and also strengthens the existing motor vehicle service and repair information sharing scheme (MVIS).

VACC CEO Peter Jones

VACC CEO Peter Jones said the motor vehicle scheme had already delivered real results with a  $2.4 billion expansion in the repair sector’s annual turnover since it started.

“This is not a minor achievement. It demonstrates that when independent repairers are given fair access to the information they need, they compete, grow, and deliver for consumers,” Mr Jones said.

“This discussion paper builds on that foundation and addresses some of the practical barriers that still exist in the day-to-day operation of the scheme.”

The discussion paper proposes extending the right-to-repair framework to agricultural machinery — a move VACC said reflects the same information asymmetry that has historically disadvantaged independent automotive repairers. 

After moving to secure the right-to-repair scheme to the agricultural machinery sector, the VACC has flagged plans to further expand the scheme to motorcycles and heavy vehicles.

The latest discussion paper also identifies a range of targeted improvements to the existing MVIS, including reforms to the treatment of electronic logbooks, intermediaries, scheme pricing transparency, safety information, security information access, scheme governance and enforcement.

Mr Jones said that minister Leigh had shown genuine understanding of the competitive dynamics at play in repair markets and the real-world impact these reforms have on independent businesses.“We congratulate him and the government on moving this process forward,” he said.

AAAA CEO Mr Charity said the detail of the paper was encouraging because it focused on the real-world barriers that determine whether independent repairers can genuinely compete.

“The success of right-to-repair depends on practical access,” Mr Charity said.

“It is not enough for repair information to exist somewhere in theory. Independent repairers need timely, affordable and workable access through the tools, systems and workflows they actually use every day.

“That is why proposals dealing with electronic logbooks, intermediaries, scheme pricing, safety information and security information are so important. These are the issues that determine whether the scheme works on the workshop floor.”

The VACC’s Peter Jones said the proposed reforms around electronic logbooks and intermediaries were particularly significant for VACC members.

“The shift toward software-defined vehicles has fundamentally changed what it means to run an independent repair business,” he said.

“Access to a vehicle is no longer enough — repairers need access to the data, diagnostic systems and service histories that tell them what the vehicle actually needs. 

“Without that access, independent operators are effectively locked out of an increasing share of the work coming through their doors.

“Independent repairers need to be able to access and update electronic service records on equal terms with dealer networks.“They need data aggregators and tool manufacturers to have proper access to scheme information so that the tools on workshop floors actually work.

“These are not peripheral issues — they go directly to whether independent repairers can do their jobs.

“The proposals in this paper address exactly the kinds of structural barriers VACC and TACC have been raising with the government on behalf of our members across Victoria and Tasmania.”

Mr Jones said VACC was also supportive of efforts to reduce regulatory burdens on safety information, streamline access to security information, and improve pricing transparency under the scheme.

“Compliance burden should not fall disproportionately on repairers and small businesses,” he said.

“These proposals strike a reasonable balance between protecting critical systems and ensuring independent operators are not caught up in unnecessary red tape.”

VACC said it would also use the consultation process to advocate for the future expansion of the right-to-repair framework to heavy vehicles and motorcycles — two categories currently outside the scheme’s scope but representing a significant portion of the vehicles serviced by VACC and TACC members.

“The discussion paper proposes giving the scheme adviser a formal role in recommending future vehicle class expansions, and we intend to make full use of that mechanism,” Mr Jones said. 

“Heavy vehicle operators and motorcycle riders deserve the same protections and competitive repair market access as passenger vehicle owners. We will be making that case clearly in our submission.”