Submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into a - Right to Repair

Right to Repair Submission to the Productivity Commission inquiry into a Right to Repair 1 February 2021 GPO Box 4055 Melbourne, 3001 VIC, Australia T + 61 3 9864 0900 F + 61 3 9864 0930 E info@atse.org.au atse.org.au RIGHT TO REPAIR The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE)1 is pleased to contribute to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into a consumer right to repair in Aust. [...] Intellectual property and copyright laws restrict small businesses such as mechanics and electronics repairers from being able to access the information required to repair goods, and they have called for government regulation to create a right to repair that facilitates the provision of this information. [...] A right to repair electrical and whitegoods, promoting and facilitating that option, would increase the longevity and durability of these products, as well as preserving valuable materials and reducing the level of hazardous waste ending up in landfill. [...] The collection and management of data on a product’s usage, performance, wear and lifecycle could also provide valuable information that can be used to maximise efficiency, reduce repair costs, and greatly facilitate the ability to remanufacture products.8 There are a number of other potential positive flow-on effects associated with a right to repair, such as an increase in small and local busine. [...] In order to accelerate the paradigm shift towards design for reuse and repair, and to remove existing barriers to repair, ATSE recommends: Creating a legislated consumer right to repair products, starting with electronics.