A huge gathering of repairers (estimates vary from 700 to 1200), some with their families, attended the MTA NSW 'AAMI industry crisis' meeting at Sydney's ANZ stadium on 1 June.
Speakers from the industry included MTA NSW's Maurie Pinfold, James McCall, Tod Sarina and Greg Preston, parts supplier David Williams, Marshall Collier from West Ryde Smash Repairs and veteran campaigner Richard Nathan.
Greg Preston presented the MTA's evidence of “dangerous repairs under the AAMI two-quote system,” and called for repairers to get in touch with MTA when they came across “further examples in their workshops.”
CEO James McCall called on the repairers to act now saying: “The barbarians are at the gate, unless we stop them, we won't have an industry left. Your industry is facing annihilation.
“Five years ago we fought and we won. That action cost another insurer $2 billion. We need to deliver the same lesson to AAMI. We need to hurt them hard, the way they hurt you.
“Greed is driving the two-quote process, greed at the expense of your livelihood. It's an epic struggle that we've got to win.”
MTA NSW President Maurie Pinfold urged the repairers to: “stick strong, we will be trying to support you as much as we can.”
David Williams talked about how parts margins were already falling to the level that they made just $2 profit out of every $100, but under the AAMI two-quote system this was being squeezed further. He declared that he would be supporting MTA action to “protect the future of our industry. We will be converting customers away from insuring with Suncorp brands”.
Body repair division chairman Tod Sarina explained that a 'public awareness program' would be undertaken by the industry. “We know this system produces dangerous repairs,” he said, “we must expose Suncorp to the public. Insurance companies should not be fixing cars and writing quotes.”
Among Richard Nathan's comments were: “All we want is a fair go. This has to be the fight to end all fights, we don't want to be doing this every six years.”
MTA NSW said its aim was to ensure freedom of choice in repairer, an end to the two-quote system and acceptance of real time real money as a sustainable way forward with Suncorp brands.
Other speakers included CNVRA's Gary Mamic from Newcastle and a disgruntled Suncorp customer, Danni Leikvold, who explained what had happened to her car. The matter is now at federal dispute level, she said, and urged the room to fight for the choice of repairer she said she was denied. Former repairer and now AARGI representative Hussy Hasan also called on repairers to stand up for their rights.
A spokesperson for Suncorp commented: "“We stand by the quality of work carried out by our aligned repairers and do not believe that any repairer would knowingly put an unsafe car back on the road.”