2019-08-30
The ACT has secured Commonwealth, state and territory support to progress work on a ‘right to repair’ – a national-first.
A ‘right to repair’ is the consumers’ ability to have faulty goods repaired at a competitive price by a manufacturer, a third party, or in some instances, self-repair, using available replacement parts and having access to information. Consumers are being increasingly locked out of repairing their products because manufacturers don’t allow third parties to repair them, or products are built to become obsolete when they are damaged.
Globally there is a groundswell of consumers who want the right to be able to repair their goods through third party providers. A ‘right to repair’ is also good for sustainability as it stops products and resources being wasted.
The European Union and the United States are already introducing rights to repair. In Australia the notion and practice of right to repair is in its infancy.
The ACT has taken the lead today at the Consumer Affairs Forum by advocating for a national ‘right to repair’.
“This is work that is both good for the planet, and good for Australian consumers,” ACT Minister for Consumer Affairs Shane Rattenbury said today.
“Increasingly consumers are buying tech and other products that become obsolete after a certain period, often due to software and security upgrades or the like. I’d like to see the power back in the hands of the consumer.
“A ‘right to repair’ means that consumers won’t simply be stuck dealing with one manufacturer – they can take issues into their own hands to get the product repaired get help from a third party. It also means manufacturers will be obliged to build products capable of being repaired, as well as providing manuals.
“Electronic and other types of waste are a growing problem. Australians are among the highest users of technology products, generating around 25 kilograms of e-waste per capita each year.
As a result of the ACT’s efforts, Federal Minister Sukkar is writing to the Treasurer, requesting that Right to Repair is added to the Productivity Commission’s forward work agenda.
“We’ve taken the first step to get this work underway, to assist Australians who want to repair the goods they have – rather than constantly needing to buy new items instead of undertaking what can be a simple repair job.”
“My hope is that a detailed examination by the Productivity Commission will allow the ‘right to repair’ concept to be imported into the Australian context, resulting in reforms that both benefit Australian consumers and improve sustainability,” said Minister Rattenbury.
The ACT Government has a strong commitment to sustainability as well as supporting a community which is empowered to make informed decisions when it comes to their consumer rights.
