Agriculture Industry: Machinery

McCormack criticised the government's agricultural policies, arguing that infrastructure spending had dried up and road conditions were dangerous for harvest machinery. McCormack opposed water buybacks, stating that spending $430 million to remove 86 gigalitres from the consumptive pool distorted markets and harmed production. McCormack also raised concerns about intermittent power projects taking up farmland and claimed the government was failing to support the beef industry against environmental criticisms.

Urquhart supported the extension of the Right to Repair framework, noting that modern machinery combines mechanical parts with digital systems that can cause significant downtime. Urquhart cited Productivity Commission estimates suggesting the reforms could add $311 million to GDP and increase grain output by $97 million annually. Urquhart argued that the scheme would allow qualified independent repairers to access necessary tools and information, thereby strengthening competition and supporting regional jobs while maintaining safety standards.

Venning supported the right to repair reforms, sharing personal experiences of the difficulties in sourcing parts for harvest machinery. Venning argued that farmers should have the freedom to choose who repairs their expensive equipment without voiding warranties. However, Venning questioned the practical logistics of the reform, noting that consultation had closed but implementation details were unclear. Venning also criticised the government for rising diesel prices and previous policy decisions regarding phosphine exposure limits.