The topic of Right to Repair has been a hot issue in recent months, with concerns raised that manufacturers are making it too difficult to maintain or fix any issues with machinery.
The Productivity Commission has been looking into the issue for a number of products, such as mobile phones and household appliances, but is also expected to include those used on the farm.
Among the submissions were a range of views, with some farming groups expressing concerns about restrictions that require them to only return to the dealership for repairs, and then potentially high repair costs.
But dealers, including Malcolm Eglinton from Eglinton Bros Pty Ltd, Maitland, say the dealerships are also wearing a lot of costs, including training their staff and buying specific tools for the job.
Other submissions say the fault lies with manufacturers whose technology requires specific software.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has also expressed its interest in this field, with a report in progress, after it released a discussion paper titled Agricultural Machinery: After-sales markets, a year ago.
The ACCC's agricultural machinery discussion paper identified concerns which could be harmful to competition in after-sales repairs, service and warranty issues.
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