Labour is promising motorists cheaper car repairs, greater scrutiny of fuel prices and more competition among petrol stations as part of a new election policy aimed at reducing the cost of owning a car.

Vehicle manufacturers would be required to give independent mechanics access to the manuals, software, tools and technical information needed to repair modern vehicles under a right to repair law, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said.

“Your car belongs to you. You should be able to choose who fixes it,” Labour Commerce and Consumer Affairs spokesperson Arena Williams said.

Independent workshops were sometimes unable to carry out repairs because they could not access information controlled by manufacturers, Williams said.

Under Labour’s proposal, the Commerce Commission would enforce the new requirements and ensure manufacturers could not shut independent mechanics out of the market or charge unfair fees for access.

Australia introduced a mandatory Motor Vehicle Information Sharing Scheme in July 2022, requiring manufacturers to make service and repair information available to independent repairers at a fair market price. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission oversees the scheme.

Labour is also proposing greater scrutiny of fuel companies.

The party would require the Commerce Commission to report weekly on fuel prices and whether reductions in underlying costs were being passed on to motorists. It would also apply its proposed price gouging law to wholesale and retail fuel.

Commerce Commission research has previously found petrol prices rise more quickly when costs increase than they fall when costs decrease.

Motorists could collectively save about $15 million a year if fuel companies reduced prices as quickly as they increased them following changes in costs, the commission estimated. Its analysis found about 70% to 80% of a cost increase was passed on during the first week, compared with about 30% of a cost decrease.

The commission normally publishes quarterly fuel monitoring reports, although it has been publishing additional monitoring during 2026 in response to volatility caused by the Middle East conflict.

Labour also wants to make it easier for independent fuel retailers to compete by strengthening fuel supply rules and restricting contracts that make it difficult for retailers to change suppliers.

The New Zealand Transport Agency would also be required to consider whether surplus land could be made available for independent unmanned petrol stations and electric vehicle chargers.

“For most Kiwis, a car is a necessity, it’s how we get to work, drop the kids at school, and get on with life,” Hipkins said.

Labour has also promised to freeze fuel tax for three years as part of its wider cost of living platform.