Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is committed to advancing sustainable development through comprehensive initiatives that promote economic prosperity, social inclusion, environmental sustainability and good governance for all.
Past events
Australian Repair Cafe Online Forum - 29 July 2024
Professor Leanne Wiseman hosted this forum which provided an opportunity for sharing of Repair Cafe updates. Leanne shared her learnings from her recent Right to Repair research trip through England, Scotland and Wales and reported on the 2023 Repair Cafe survey that was conducted. There was also time for general discussion about repair opportunities and challenges in the Australian Repair Cafe Network.
Public Lecture: Repairing Competition: When Intellectual Property Amounts to Refusal to Repair presented by Anthony Rosborough - May 2024
Professor Leanne Wiseman was pleased to host a public lecture presented by Anthony Rosborough, Assistant Professor of Law & Computer Science at Dalhousie University and Doctoral Researcher at the European University Institute.
We were delighted that this lecture was introduced by The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities & Treasury, Assistant Minister for Employment, Federal Member for Fenner, Parliament of Australia and commentary following the lecture was provided by The Honourable Patrick Keane, AC, KC, who served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 2013 to 2022.
The Right to Repair has become front of mind for policymakers and consumers in recent years. It promises to combat planned obsolescence, reduce costs, and give consumers greater choice and access to the parts, tools, and information necessary for the repair of everyday products, equipment, and devices. Public interest groups and governments around the world have successfully implemented legal reforms to achieve these goals, albeit primarily as part of consumer law frameworks.
But a lesser-explored dimension of the right to repair is its relationship to competition policy and market power. When access to parts, tools, information, and software is restricted, it is not only consumers that suffer. Independent technicians, suppliers of parts, tools, and follow-on innovators are kept from doing business. In practice, this impacts a broad range of industries, including motor vehicles, agricultural machinery, medical devices, and many others. While repair restrictions result in consumer “lock in”, they also create market “lock out” for manufacturer-adjacent and independent businesses. This can undermine fair competition and, in some cases, concentrate power held by a small group of original manufacturers.
In this public lecture, Rosborough will explore the competition and anti-trust aspects of the Right to Repair, highlighting the importance and value of independent repairers and suppliers in secondary markets. This includes a look at the complex relationship between the exercise of intellectual property (IP) rights and competition policy and a comparison of proposed reforms to enable the right to repair across a number of jurisdictions. Particular focus will be given to recently proposed changes to Canada’s Competition Act that address the Right to Repair. Overall, the talk will highlight the relevance and importance of looking at Right to Repair policy reforms through the lens of market power and fair competition.
This public lecture was hosted by Professor Leanne Wiseman's ARC Future Fellowship. Unlocking Digital Innovation: IP and the Right to Repair, ARC, Law Futures Centre and Griffith University.
Webinar: Talking About Repair Data
The collection of repair data and information can be used to help inform the advocacy and policy work being done around the Right to Repair movement. To assist Repair Convenors and repairers, we organised a webinar about repair data to discuss and learn about the various tools and ways that repair data can be collected.
Talking About Repair Data was presented on Tuesday 22 November 2022 by James Pickering and Ugo Vallauri from the Restart Project in conjunction with Professor Leanne Wiseman of the Australian Repair Network.
Download The Restart project presentation slides (3.9MB)
Image credit: Mark A Phillips (Instagram: @markaphill, Twitter: @unbrokensoluti1)
2nd Australian Repair Summit - August 2022
Professor Leanne Wiseman and the Australian Repair Network hosted the 2022 Australian Repair Summit on 5 August 2022 at the National Library, Canberra. This was an in-person event, with the option of attending online.
This summit provided an opportunity for interested Repair stakeholders to genuinely engage with Government, policy makers and industry to discuss recent developments in the Right to Repair movement in an event that welcomes discussion, relevant questions, and respectful debate.
Participants heard about Australia's first Right to Repair Scheme, the Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme which came into effect on 1 July 2022, as well as discussion of some of the key recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s Right to Repair Inquiry 2021 involving Agricultural Machinery, Consumer rights and Product Labelling, and the Repair of Medical Devices. Updates on recent Repair policy and legislative initiatives internationally were also discussed. Attendees were encouraged to network, discuss provide contributions and feedback about the Right to Repair movement.
Australian Repair Network Steering Committee
From left: Guido Verbist, Revolve Recyling; Renee Williams, Volunteer, ARN; Professor Leanne Wiseman, Griffith University; Lesley Yates, AAAA; The Hon Shane Rattenbury, Jane Hawthorne, Volunteer ARN; Associate Professor Kanchana Kariyawasam, Griffith University; John Gertsakis, eWaste Watch; Matthew Steen, CHOICE
Absent: Karen Ellis, Mendit Australia; Brent Morton
View videos from this event
International Perspectives on the Right to Repair
Right to Repair - US Developments
Kyle Wiens, Co-founder and CEO, iFixit Pty Ltd
Right to Repair – Canadian Developments
Anthony Rosborough, Lawyer, Doctoral Researcher, European University Institute
The Honourable Dr Andrew Leigh MP
Keynote Address
The Honourable Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
Mandatory Data Sharing in Australia
Australia now has world-leading legislation on access to information for vehicle repair and maintenance. The new Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Legislation became Australian law on 1 July 2022. This Scheme allows independent repairers to access service and repair data. It is early days for this legislation and Lesley Yates: will provide a review of how the law works and how well it is working for consumers and independent repairers. Importantly she will highlight the lessons learnt and how this might relate to other industries and their journey towards repairability and open access to repair information.
Australia’s first Right to Repair Law in Action
Lesley Yates, Director of Advocacy for the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA)
Agricultural Machinery Aftermarket
Mark Swift, Nuffield Scholar (2012), Mixed Cropping Farmer, Parkes NSW
The Honourable Shane Rattenbury
The Honourable Shane Rattenbury
ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability; Corrections and Justice Health; Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety; Minister for Mental Health
Medical Devices and Right to Repair
Panel session
Health accounts for a significant proportion of both Commonwealth and State expenditure. In 2019/2020 the Australian Government spent $87 billion (15% of expenditure) on Heath. Maintenance and repair of much medical equipment in our public hospitals is done by technically trained professionals in the industry However, within the medical service industry, it is known that OEM contracts exist that limit repair to repairs with authorised repairers. The Productivity Commission found that there were some competition barriers to the repair of medical devices and recommended that a review be conducted of the medical device market and regulations. This panel will present a range of views about medical device and assistive technologies repair.
Chair: Professor Leanne Wiseman, Griffith University
What I learnt as a doctor and lawyer after a spinal cord injury
Dr Dinesh Palipana, OAM, Griffith University, Senior Adviser to Disability Royal Commission, Queenslander of the Year, Doctor, Lawyer, Disability Advocate and Researcher
Medical Equipment, Repairs and Maintenance
Steven Lucano, Chief Biomedical Engineer, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital KEMH, Western Australia
Right to Repair - Assistive Technology Perspective
David Sinclair, Executive Officer, Assistive Technologies Suppliers Association (ATSA) (Online Presentation)
Margaret Noonan, Senior Policy Officer, Assistive Technologies Suppliers Association (ATSA) (in person)
Right to Repair – Medical Devices – Industry Perspective
Dr Jasjit Baveja, Associate Director, Policy
Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)
Q & A
Australia ready for a repairability star rating?
This panel discussion will consider the role of product labelling in helping consumers to make informed choices when purchasing products such as domestic appliances, laptops and smart phones. What are the learnings from France's repairability index? And what are the policy and practical steps towards making a repairability star rating a reality?
Chair: John Gertsakis, Director and Co-founder, Ewaste Watch Institute (session chair)
The French Repairability Index
Jean-Paul Ventère, Independent expert and former policy office at the French Ministry of Ecological Transition
Online Presentation (Sponsored by Ewaste Watch Institute)
Panellists:
Matthew Steen, Director, Reviews and Testing, CHOICE
Kate Harris,Secretariat, Global Ecolabelling Network
TBC, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (invited)
Pip Kiernan
Pip Kiernan, GAICD, Chair, Clean Up Australia
Pre-Summit Community Repair Conference - August 2022
This year, we also hosted a Pre-Summit Community Repair Conference. This event was run Thursday 4 August from 1-4pm at the National Library in Canberra, providing a focussed forum for discussion of Community Repair initiatives. This event brought volunteer repairers and community repair stakeholders together to discuss community repair cafes and community repair initiatives’ role in improving Australia’s environmental sustainability.
View videos from this event
International Perspectives on Community Repair
Brigitte Sistig, Repair Café Aotearoa New Zealand (RCANZ)
Repair Café Europe & Martine Postna, International Repair Café Foundation, Amsterdam, (Online Presentation)
Discussion of International repair initiatives and supports
Australian Perspectives on Community Repair
Brendan Norris, Fixable.co
Guido Verbist, General Manager, Revolve Recycling
Julie Boulton, Project Manager, Monash Sustainable Development Institute
Brisbane City Council's Green Heart Fair - 29 May 2022
The Australian Repair Network was pleased to attend the Brisbane City Council’s Green Heart Fair on Sunday, 29th May 2022. Professor Leanne Wiseman was joined by Lilia Ben Dekhi, New Colombo Plan Scholarship Recipient and Associate Professor Kanchana Kariyawasam from Griffith University. Professor Wiseman and Les Barkla from the Repair Cafe Redcliffe Peninsula spoke at the event on "How Repair Cafes can help you fix stuff". The fair featured over 120 of Brisbane’s leading sustainability experts ready to share practical tips and tricks to help you live an eco-friendlier life.
Repair Cafe Networking event – April 2022
The Law Futures Centre, Professor Leanne Wiseman and Associate Professor Kanchana Kariyawasam hosted the Repair Cafe Networking event.
The past few years have thrown many challenges to us as individuals, as communities and society in general. More than ever, we have had to rely upon a range of electric and electronic devices to work from home, connect with our loved ones, to stay informed and entertained. If they break, we need reliable repairers to help us, so we can stay connected.
The international repair cafe movement has taken off in Australia, with now over 70 repair cafes offering repair services by teams of committed volunteers. While these repair cafes and repair activities highlight the important role that repair can play in our ensuring our society’s recovery is environmentally sustainable, a number of challenges are faced by those who convene and volunteer at these repair cafes.
Recognising the extra-ordinary efforts currently being undertaken by a wide range of stakeholders in the repair community, this workshop built on the earlier Building Back Better: Reuse Repair Recycle workshop that was hosted by the Law Futures Centre in October 2020.
The aim of this workshop was to bring together repair stakeholders who are working in the repair cafe movement, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to network, exchange their ideas and experiences of setting up repair cafes or volunteering at repair cafes or repair events.
Australian Repair Summit – July 2021
Professor Leanne Wiseman, the Law Futures Centre and the Repair Summit Steering Committee conducted the first Australian Repair Summit in July 2021.
This full day summit was an opportunity for interested Repair stakeholders to genuinely engage with Government, policy makers and industry to discuss the emerging Right to Repair movement in an event that welcomes discussion, relevant questions and respectful debate. Attendees heard about the current state of the Right to Repair movement in Australia, such as the recently introduced Mandatory Sharing of Car Repair and Service Information legislation as well as the recently released ACCC's Agricultural Machinery: After sales market inquiry, the Productivity Commission's Right to Repair Inquiry and about recent Repair policy and legislative initiatives internationally.
Attendees were encouraged to discuss and network and ask questions of participants, in addition to providing contributions and feedback about the Right to Repair movement.
Australian Repair Summit Session 1
Australian Repair Summit Session 2
Australian Repair Summit Session 3
Australian Repair Summit Session 4
Law Futures Centre Forum: Can we fix it? A Right to Repair for Australia? – February 2020
Can we fix it? A Right to Repair for Australia?
From phones and fitbits to fridges and cars, consumers are buying more and more 'smart' consumer goods. Yet by denying consumers the ability to repair these goods, manufacturers of 'smart' goods are challenging, and even undermining, the very notion of physical ownership. More broadly too, the (in)ability to repair 'smart' consumer goods is contributing to the increasing problem of product obsolescence and e-waste which is inhibiting Australia's environmental sustainability.
Globally, there has been a groundswell of support from consumers, repairers, environmentalists and designers for a 'Right to Repair.' The US and EU have already introduced 'Right to Repair' schemes into their laws. While Australia does not have 'Right to Repair' legislation, there is increasing interest in a 'Right to Repair' for Australia as this would both benefit Australian consumers and improve Australia's environmental sustainability.
Attendees heard from our panel of experts about what is happening in the International 'Right to Repair' movement and joined in discussions about whether there is a place for a 'Right to Repair' in Australia.
Building Back Better: ReUse, Repair and Recycle workshop – October 2020
Right to Repair Workshop
The Building Back Better: ReUse, Repair and Recycle Stakeholder Workshop, October 2020.
Australian Repair Network Academic workshop – February 2020
On 5–6 February 2020, a two day international academic workshop was organised by Professor Leanne Wiseman and Dr Kanchana Kariyawasam on the emerging International Right to Repair movement. This event was funded under a Griffith University AEL International Workshop award (which was supplemented by funding from the Law Futures Centre) to invite international scholars to participate in the workshop. We were delighted to host Professor Taina Pihlajarinne, Faculty of Law and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS) Finland and Professor Leah Grinvald, Suffolk University, Boston Massachusetts and Professor Graeme Austin from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, who were able to provide a European, United States and New Zealand perspective respectively. National intellectual property law experts also were in attendance, as were scholars and experts in the Repair movement from private enterprise/community organisations. This was a fascinating and innovative topic for an academic workshop and there was excellent discussion and engagement by participants.A public panel event on the Right to Repair was also organised and held on the evening of Wednesday 5 February at the South Bank campus, which features a panel of 6 experts (including our International visiting academics) to which the public was invited. Professor Leanne Wiseman facilitated an open and intriguing discussion among the panellists and the audience. The forum was well attended and members of the audience were very engaged with the panel and the topic.
ABC Radio National broadcast a program on Thursday 13 February, on their Big Ideas program, Encouraging Repair Over Waste, where Professor Wiseman was part of a Panel which provided a range of design, legal and environmental responses to the emerging Right to Repair movement.
