Portfolio — 22 May 2026

Minister for Small Business Anne Aly released a discussion paper on 22 May proposing to extend Australia's Right to Repair framework to agricultural machinery — the portfolio's first substantive move on repair-market reform [TA-260522-agricu-dda27853a19a:m13050]. The paper spans two distinct reform tracks. The first would bring agricultural equipment within the Right to Repair regime, enabling farmers to use independent repairers and access machinery data, with the Productivity Commission estimating an annual GDP uplift of $97 million through increased grain outputs.

The second proposes targeted improvements to the Motor Vehicle Information Sharing Scheme, which has operated since 2022 and is credited with supporting independent repair workshops and a $2.4 billion expansion in sector turnover [TA-260522-agricu-dda27853a19a:m13050].

The reform carries an explicit cross-portfolio dimension. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins is named as a co-proponent, with Collins stating the changes will give farmers genuine choice about who repairs their machinery and support local repair businesses. The dual ministerial framing reflects the paper's design: it addresses both the small business competitive environment and on-farm productivity costs, with the government framing expanded repair rights as a mechanism to reduce costs for farmers, drivers, and small businesses alike.

Treasury is conducting the consultation, with stakeholder submissions open until 3 July 2026. No opposition or industry response is recorded in today's source material. The record is drawn from a single media release; no parliamentary debate accompanies this announcement.