Labour promises right to repair for cars
The Labour Party in New Zealand has pledged a 'right to repair' policy for vehicles, aiming to grant independent mechanics access to manufacturer software and tools. The policy is designed to lower repair costs for consumers by increasing competition in the automotive service market.
Why it matters
This policy addresses the growing issue of digital locks on consumer goods and could significantly impact the automotive repair industry and consumer spending.
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Labour is promising a right to repair for cars, ensuring independent mechanics can have access to the manuals, software and tools needed to fix modern cars.
Consumer affairs spokesperson Arena Williams said workshops were having to turn away work because they could not access that information.
"Your car belongs to you. You should be able to choose who fixes it," Williams said.
Announcing the policy at Midas Manukau, Williams said the right to repair would be key to bringing down prices for New Zealanders "whether it's in small regional towns where your independent mechanic is the only person that you can take your car to, or areas like this where there's lots of competition and they're competing on price and service".
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