The Productivity Commission’s inquiry into smash repairers has been submitted to Federal Parliament. But the Government’s conclusion to the long-running battle between insurers and the smash repair industry may still be a while away.

The issue revolves around insurers’ use of “preferred smash repairers” – an act the smash repairers argue is anti-competitive and a disadvantage to consumers.

The commission received 52 public submissions and a number of private submissions. The Government has 25 parliamentary sitting days to table the report.

A commission spokesman says this could mean the issue will only emerge for parliamentary discussion “anywhere up to the middle of the year”.