The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association(AAAA) has welcomed thereappointment of the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh as Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, calling it a strong signal that the Albanese Government will continue its leadership on Right to Repair reform.
The AAAA, which led the decade-long campaign for the Motor Vehicle InformationScheme (MVIS), says Australia now has an opportunity to take the nextstep—delivering greater productivity and lower costs for Australian consumers byimproving and expanding Right to Repair.
“Minister Leigh has shown genuine leadership on Right to Repair, and we arepleased to see him continue in this important portfolio,” said Stuart Charity, CEO ofthe AAAA.
“Labor has made it clear that lifting Australia’s stalled productivity is its highesteconomic priority. Improving access to repair information is a proven way to boostproductivity—cutting costs, reducing waste, and supporting thousands of smallbusinesses who keep Australians moving.”
The AAAA is calling on the Government to build on the success of the MVIS as partof the upcoming review by modernising the scheme to ensure it delivers on itspromise of fair competition and consumer choice.
Specifically, the AAAA is seeking:
Universal Diagnostic Access:Mandating the use of a universal diagnostic standard, such as SAE-J2534, soworkshops can use a single tool across all car brands, reducing unnecessary costsand complexity.
Data Aggregator Licensing:Requiring car manufacturers to license all repair information—including technicalservice bulletins—to data aggregators, ensuring multi-brand workshops can accessall the information they need in a standardised format to do the job right.
Telematics Data Access:Ensuring that real-time vehicle data transmitted via telematics systems is madeavailable to independent repairers on fair and reasonable terms, supporting safe and efficient servicing of modern connected vehicles.
“These changes would deliver immediate, measurable productivity gains for the30,000 independent repairers who service Australia’s 20 million vehicles,” saidCharity.
The AAAA also called on the Government to extend its leadership on Right to Repair beyond the automotive sector, including agriculture, medical devices, and other industries where limited access to repair information drives up costs for Australian businesses, families, and communities.
“Right to Repair is bigger than just cars. It’s about ensuring all Australians—whetherthey’re farmers, families, or healthcare providers—have the freedom to choose where and how their products are repaired,” said Charity.
“With Minister Leigh continuing in his role, we have a golden opportunity to build onthe success of the MVIS. We urge the Government to embrace a broader Right to Repair agenda, starting with the review of the MVIS to make sure it works as intended for independent repairers and the Australian public.”
The AAAA has written to Minister Leigh seeking a meeting to progress theseimportant reforms.
“We look forward to the opportunity to meet with Minister Leigh early in this term tocontinue this important dialogue on how Right to Repair can help deliver Australia’sproductivity goals,” said Charity.
