The recent first reading of the Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill in New Zealand’s Parliament marks a pivotal moment for consumers, businesses, and the environment. If passed, this bill will strengthen the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) by requiring manufacturers to make spare parts and repair information available to consumers and independent repairers. This is more than just a consumer rights issue – it is a crucial step towards a resilient, circular economy that reduces waste, creates jobs, and strengthens our domestic economy.
What is the Right to Repair
The right to repair is the concept that consumers and independent repairers should have access to the tools, parts, software, and information needed to repair and maintain products. It aims to reduce electronic waste, promote sustainability, and give consumers more control over their purchases.
The right to repair can help reduce a country’s trade deficit by decreasing imports and boosting local economic activity. By enabling repairs, consumers and businesses extend the lifespan of products, reducing the demand for new imports. This shift strengthens our domestic repair industries, supporting local jobs and encouraging the production of spare parts and tools, which further reduces reliance on foreign manufacturing.
Additionally, repairing products instead of discarding them cuts e-waste exports and minimises the need to import refurbished goods. As repair expertise grows, businesses may even export refurbished products and services, improving the trade balance while fostering a more resilient and self-sufficient economy.
The right to repair reduces reliance on critical materials by extending the lifespan of products, decreasing the need for new manufacturing that requires finite resources like rare earth metals and lithium. By enabling repairs and refurbishments, it also lowers demand for mining and extraction, helping to conserve essential materials and mitigate supply chain risks.
Key aspects of the right to repair include:
→ Access to spare parts and manuals: Manufacturers should provide genuine replacement parts, repair manuals and diagnostic tools.
→ Repair-friendly design: Products should be designed for repairability, meaning components can be replaced without special tools or proprietary restrictions.
→ Protection against restrictive policies: Some manufacturers use software locks, warranty restrictions or proprietary screws to discourage repairs outside authorised services.
The right to repair is especially relevant for electronics, appliances, vehicles, and agricultural machinery, where manufacturers often limit repair options to authorised service providers, increasing costs and e-waste.
Where we’re at in Australia and New Zealand
In Australia, the first step towards a right to repair has focused on the automotive sector. On July 1, 2022, the Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme came into effect, mandating that car manufacturers provide independent repairers with access to service and repair information at a fair market price. This initiative aims to foster competition in the vehicle repair market and reduce ownership costs for consumers.
Beyond the automotive industry, the Australian Productivity Commission conducted an inquiry into the broader aspects of the right to repair. The final report, released in December 2021, identified significant and unnecessary barriers to repair for various products. It proposed a suite of measures to enhance consumers' right to repair while ensuring net benefits.
In New Zealand, the right-to-repair movement has gained momentum with the introduction of the Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill. This member's bill seeks to amend the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. The proposed amendments would require manufacturers to ensure that repair facilities and spare parts are reasonably available for a reasonable period after goods are supplied. Additionally, manufacturers would need to provide the most recent versions of information, spare parts, software and tools necessary for diagnosing, maintaining or repairing their products.
The bill passed its first reading in Parliament on February 19, 2025, marking a first step toward empowering consumers and promoting sustainability by reducing waste.
In the European Union, the Right to Repair Directive, introduced as part of the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan, requires manufacturers to make spare parts and repair information available for certain products, including household appliances, to extend their lifespan and reduce waste.
Building a stronger local economy
A well-functioning repair market keeps money circulating within New Zealand, rather than flowing offshore for replacement products. When consumers can repair their goods rather than replace them, it fuels demand for local repair services, creating skilled jobs and business opportunities. This not only helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) thrive but also lowers our trade deficit by reducing reliance on imported goods.
Similar legislation overseas has already demonstrated success in fostering economic resilience. In Australia, the Productivity Commission’s Right to Repair Inquiry has highlighted the economic benefits of repair accessibility, while the UK has implemented regulations requiring manufacturers of appliances like washing machines and televisions to provide spare parts for up to ten years.
An example of the benefits of repair and remanufacturing is Renault’s Refactory in France, which has become the most profitable part of the company. The facility focuses on remanufacturing vehicles and components, extending their lifespan while reducing the need for new materials.
Enhancing resource security and reducing waste
The importance of repair extends beyond consumer convenience – it is a vital strategy for addressing resource scarcity. Many of the critical materials embedded in our everyday products, cannot be effectively recovered through recycling alone. New Zealand recently published a Critical Minerals List and Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List can be found here.
Without a strong repair market, we are forced to continuously import new materials, making us vulnerable to global trade disruptions, monopolistic supply chains, and price volatility.
While recycling has its place, it is not a silver bullet. Much of the material recovered through recycling is sent overseas for processing, often to high-risk markets, where it can be difficult to ensure ethical and sustainable handling. A demand-led circular economy – prioritising durability, reuse, remanufacturing, and repair – is a more effective way to keep products in service for longer and reduce reliance on imports.
Repair is an environmental and economic necessity
By extending the lifespan of products, a Right to Repair bill will help nations move towards a lower-waste, lower-carbon economy. This aligns with our broader sustainability goals and ensures that we are making better use of the materials already in circulation. The alternative – continuing our current take-make-dispose model – wastes valuable resources and undermines efforts to build a resilient economy.
Supporting a Right to Repair is about creating a sustainable, self-sufficient future. The sooner we move towards a repair-friendly economy, the stronger and more resilient our economies grow.
Want to know more about how the Circular Economy supports the growth and resilience of Aotearoa New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing sector? Read this report that we prepared in partnership with Aurecon and the Sustainable Business Network for New Zealand’s Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE).