Five Million Voices

Should manufacturers be required to make repair parts, tools, and information available to consumers and independent repairers?

This member's bill amends the Consumer Guarantees Act to require manufacturers to make repair parts, tools, and diagnostic information available, closing an existing exemption that lets manufacturers avoid this by disclosing repair restrictions at the point of sale. It passed its first reading and proceeds to select committee.

MPs’ arguments for and against the bill

Why support it
  • Supporters argued the bill closes a loophole that lets manufacturers avoid providing parts, tools, and diagnostic information by requiring repairs only at approved repairers.
  • Supporters said it would help farmers and rural communities fix expensive machinery promptly using local technicians rather than waiting for approved experts.
  • Supporters argued it would reduce waste and cost of living by allowing goods to be repaired rather than sent to landfill over minor faults.
Why oppose it
  • Opponents argued a blanket right to repair does not suit low-cost goods, as research suggests manufacturers may cut prices further and increase disposable purchasing.
  • Opponents said that for high-priced items manufacturers may build repair costs into the price, potentially raising prices for consumers.
  • Opponents argued enforcement across hundreds of thousands of products would be unworkable for the Commerce Commission, favouring more targeted, product-specific regulation instead.

These are claims MPs made in Parliament’s debate — not verified facts.

Full bill summary & link to official bill page

This member's bill amends the Consumer Guarantees Act to strengthen a "right to repair." It would require manufacturers to make spare parts, tools, repair software, and repair information reasonably available so that faulty goods can be fixed rather than thrown away, and to disclose a product's repairability to buyers at the point of sale. It affects manufacturers, retailers, independent repairers, and consumers, with the aim of extending product lifespans, cutting waste, and lowering the long-run cost of ownership.

It is a Green Party member's bill (in the name of Marama Davidson), drawing on right-to-repair reforms in the European Union and several United States states. Supporters argue it reduces electronic waste and landfill, saves households money, supports local repair businesses, and advances sustainability. Opponents raise the cost and burden on manufacturers, intellectual-property and product-safety concerns about sharing designs, tools, and software, and questions about how widely the duty should apply and how it would be enforced.

See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.

Oppose (No) Support (Yes)

Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill · First Reading, 19 Feb 2025
Parliament voted 63–60 — it passed.