Right to Repair Hasn't Reached Printers Yet, Here's Where Australia Stands

"Right to repair" has picked up real momentum in Australia, just not yet for the device that a lot of small businesses complain about most.

Where Australia's right-to-repair laws actually apply

Australia's most developed right-to-repair framework is the Motor Vehicle Information Scheme (MVIS), which started in 2022 and requires manufacturers to share service and repair information with independent repairers and registered training organisations, not just their own dealer networks. It's since been credited with demonstrably increasing competition and consumer choice in vehicle servicing. Treasury reviewed the scheme in 2025, and in 2026 the government has begun consulting on extending similar principles to agricultural machinery, signalling a broader intent, but printers and office equipment are not currently part of that conversation.

Why this is a live issue for printer owners

Consumer research from CHOICE found that nearly one in four members (24%) who own a printer reported a performance or reliability issue in the past 12 months. A recurring theme in that feedback: when a printer breaks, the manufacturer's advice is often simply to buy a new one rather than repair the one you have, even for otherwise-serviceable machines.

How this compares overseas

The European Union has moved further and faster. Its right-to-repair directive was formally adopted in June 2024, and from 31 July 2026 the resulting national rules start taking effect across member states, with direct consequences for printers, multifunction devices and how IT departments procure them. Australia doesn't currently have an equivalent, printer-specific rule on the table.

Whether Australia eventually extends right-to-repair principles to office equipment remains to be seen. For now, the practical protection available to printer owners is choosing hardware and consumables that don't force the issue in the first place.