Labour's car repair promise: what it would mean for independent garages

Labour has promised independent mechanics would get access to the manuals, software and tools needed to fix modern cars. RNZ

Consumer Affairs spokesperson Arena Williams set out the pledge in an announcement reported on 4 October. It would apply to servicing and repair work after a car is sold, known as the aftermarket. Manufacturers would have to share the technical information and equipment now held by franchised dealers. Labour has not released detailed plans.

Williams said workshops are turning away work because they cannot get repair information. She said the problem is worst for newer cars that depend on software and need maker-specific diagnostic gear and repair steps. Think of it like needing both the handbook and the passcode to complete a job.

Williams pointed to Australia as the working example. She said Australia set up a car right-to-repair scheme in 2022. She claimed repairs at independent shops there are 25 percent cheaper on average than at dealerships. RNZ Labour has not released draft laws, pricing rules or an enforcement model.

The package also covers car yards. Labour promised to ban secret finance commissions, which are payments to dealers from lenders that are not disclosed to buyers. It promised buyers could cancel a purchase within 14 days without penalty.

On fuel, Labour promised to freeze fuel tax increases, to ban price gouging and to monitor fuel markets closely. It also promised to require NZTA to consider using surplus land for unmanned petrol stations and EV chargers. That is a duty to consider, not an order to sell. The land is surplus Crown land held for transport purposes.

The broader context here is that Labour has bundled three separate issues into one motoring offer for drivers and small workshops. Repair access raises competition and intellectual property questions. Dealer commissions and cancellation rights raise consumer credit and fair trading questions. Fuel pricing and site availability raise energy market and land-use questions.

For the campaign, the test will be detail. An access scheme turns on who must supply what, in what form, how quickly, at what price, and what happens if supply is refused or delayed. A ban on secret commissions needs a definition of disclosure and a liability rule. A 14-day cancellation right needs exceptions, process and allocation of risk for vehicles already driven. A freeze and a gouging ban need a statutory mechanism and a monitor with powers. None of that has been published. For now the commitments are pledges, and the Australian comparison is the only cost figure on the record.