Winter crop harvest is looming but the federal government is still “considering feedback” on long-awaited right to repair reforms for the farm machinery sector, a year after it committed to make changes.

This time last year, Assistant Minister for Competition Andrew Leigh said work on the right to repair legislation was ongoing.

And in December, Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed the federal government would expand right to repair reforms to cover agricultural equipment, with consultation in 2026. But farm and independent machinery repairers are still waiting for progress after feedback on a discussion paper closed in July.

South Australian Liberal MP and farmer Tom Venning said last week that harvest had just started in parts of his electorate of Grey – the second earliest start on record – and machinery was being serviced in readiness.

He called on the government to let the industry know how the reforms would work.

“Everything stops until that part is secured and the header is moving the next day,” Mr Venning told parliament.

“On more than one occasion, I have driven to Melbourne overnight – a 20-hour round trip – just to get a part so the header could keep moving.

“But a discussion paper does not fix a header. So the question everyone is asking is: what will it actually look like for farmers?”

National Farmers’ Federation president Hamish McIntyre said the reforms were moving through the government processes, and the looming harvest was a reminder why “urgent implementation is so important”.

The reforms are expected to give farmers more freedom to choose their repairer, meaning less downtime and lower costs.

This week Minister Leigh said: “The Albanese government is committed to extending right-to-repair laws to agricultural machinery.

“We’ve consulted with farmers and repairers on how best to deliver this reform.

“We’re now considering that feedback to ensure the new arrangements work effectively in practice.”