States and territories split on national representation

Western Australia, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory are all sticking with the Motor Trades Association of Australia and not joining the newly formed group.

The Australian Automotive Industry Association was formed through an alliance between MTA NSW, MTAQ, VACC and TACC.

MTA WA CEO Steve Moir said there were no plan to join the new group.

“We would have to have a compelling argument to drop one for the other,” Moir said, adding that MTAWA was in a strong position to be able to negotiate on behalf of its members at any level of government.

He would prefer to see more effort put into fixing the problems with MTA, he told Australasian Paint & Panel.

“I have to focus on the best possible outcomes for members in Western Australia,” he said.

The same applied in South Australia where MTA SA executive director John Chapman reaffirmed their membership of MTAA, saying the MTAA was the body representing the industry.

He said there was no need to change what was going on with representation in Canberra.

“It’s business as usual,” he said.

MTA ACT executive director Bob Gardner confirmed the territory’s association was staying put and not joining AAIA, but was not in a position to comment further on the situation.

MTA Northern Territory’s Graham Bevis was not contactable at the time of publishing

In a statement, the MTAA said that for more than 20 years it has been recognised as being the voice of the retail motor trades.

MTAA has a long and proud record of pursuing with the government and other stakeholders policies and legislation that support Australia’s retail motor traders in their daily business operations. The association’s national secretariat continues that important work, the statement said.

“MTAA’s focus has never wavered, nor has its purpose, intent and passion in representing all retail motor traders and, in so doing, working for the protection of their interests. And so, MTAA continues – and will continue – ---to be the pre-eminent voice of all retail motor traders by virtue of the quality, standing and integrity of its members, the skills it possesses and the manner of the regard in which it is held by those who seek its counsel.”

The association continues its advocacy in support of retail motor traders and will continue to represent the national interests to the government and its agencies.

The statement also went on to say the association remains the employer sponsor of the MTAA Super Fund; one of the largest industry funds with over $5.5b in funds under management and with over 290,000 members.

Collision repair meeting

In a separate, but conveniently timed, action, MTA WA body repair division chairman, Wayne Phipps, has invited the BRD chairman and divisional managers from throughout Australia to a meeting in Perth in late June.

Phipps said the two-day event would focus on the future of the collision repair industry across Australia, leaving aside the politics of the associations.

“It is important that all the BRD chairman attend,” he said.