Agricultural
20 October, 2025
Fresh fight for right to repair ag machinery
NSW Farmers has welcomed calls from the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh to introduce a legislated right to repair for agricultural machinery.
On Friday, October 17, 2025, Minister Leigh told the Australian Repair Summit the lack of this right to repair was weakening regional economies and stifling “fairness, efficiency and resilience” on Australian farms.
As the 2025 winter harvest season commenced, NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said real commitment to legislate this right was long overdue.
“Right now, much of our modern farm machinery can only be fixed by an ‘authorised repairer’, but this often costs a fortune and there’s always the likelihood of costly delays,” Mr Martin said.
“We can choose who fixes our cars and trucks, but we can’t choose who fixes the ag machines that help us feed and clothe the nation – and that’s costing our industry time, money and productivity.
“Farmers should be able to choose to use and support a qualified local repairer or do repairs and maintenance work themselves if they’re qualified, so they can get their machinery fixed without huge costs or wait times.”
According to the Productivity Commission, legislating a right to repair agricultural machinery would boost agricultural productivity by $97 million annually.
Swift action to open the repairs market for farm machinery was common sense, Mr Martin said, with the Federal Government urged to expand the Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme to include agriculture as soon as possible.
“We need our tractors, headers and other machines to be fixed efficiently if we’re to keep putting clothes on backs and food on tables,” Mr Martin said.
“Farmers in countries like Canada have had this right for years – as so has our automotive industry here in Australia – and it’s simply time we corrected this.
“The recognition of this problem today has been very encouraging, and we need the Federal Government to act now to remove the barriers restricting the open repairs market for farm machinery – and we’re ready and willing to work with them on this.”
