Right to repair

The draft report assesses the case for a right to repair in Australia, with a focus on whether consumers face any unnecessary barriers to repair that require a government policy response. 

The Commission sought further information and feedback following the release of a draft report on 11 June 2021. Submissions were due by 23 July 2021.

The Commission released an issues paper to guide people in preparing a submission. It set out some of the issues and questions the Commission has identified as relevant to the early stage of the inquiry.

Participants should have provided evidence to support their views, including data and specific examples where possible. 

The Commission released the issues paper on 7 December 2020. Initial submissions were due by 1 February 2021.

The focus of this inquiry was on consumers’ ability to repair faulty goods and to access repair services at a competitive price. We were asked to look at the barriers and enablers of competition in repair markets and the costs and benefits of a regulated ‘right to repair’, including facilitating access to embedded software in consumer and other goods.

We were also asked to look at arrangements for preventing premature or planned product obsolescence and the proliferation of e‑waste, and means of reducing e‑waste through improved access to repairs.