Paint and Panel attended a Country North Vehicle Repairer's meeting in Merreweather, Newcastle last night , 8 May.
The Country North Vehicle Repairers'
Association (CRNVA) has recently attracted industry attention with
its radio advertising campaign advising customers that their cars
were being sent to Sydney for repair. (See original story and Suncorp response).
As well as Newcastle repairers, the meeting was attended by repairers from Sydney who wanted to express their support for the stance taken by CNVRA. MTA NSW's Greg Preston senior manager, divisional services, Tod Sarina Chairman Body Repair Division and Graham Judge Senior Manager Realistic Times also attended.
From left: Graham Judge, Gary Mamic, Greg Preston, Tod Sarina
CNVRA's Gary Mamic recounted how events had unfolded in Newcastle over the last few months. Discussed at the meeting was what members see as the unlevel playing field created by Suncorp with the two-quote system, the Capital S.M.A.R.T group and how, in their opinion, sub-standard repairs were the result of 'repairing to a price not to a standard'.
MTA NSW's Preston then played an ABC radio interview from Sunday 6 May, In Macca's words in which Sarina, Judge and he had discussed their view of Suncorp's repair policy.
Messages of support for the Newcastle repairers from colleagues
across Australia were referred to and a united room agreed to
continue campaigning for a change in the way that Suncorp does
business with them.