The Motor Trades Association Australia (MTAA) acting executive director Rod Camm has responded to the withdrawal of Motor Trade Association of New South Wales (MTA-NSW) from the national body.
MTA-NSW says it has determined that MTAA’s proposed governance changes and strategic direction do not align with the specific needs of NSW and ACT automotive businesses.
Camm says the MTAA commissioned a governance review to ensure the organisation was fit for purpose in meeting the needs of the automotive industry.
The MTA NSW Chair was involved in all stages of the process and supported its direction and final report,” Camm says.
“The review identified that due to the complexity of the sector, there is a real risk that the multiple industry voices at the national would undermine the shared commitment to the industry and that it is imperative that MTAA establish close relationships with the other automotive industry associations, such as AADA and AAAA to ensure a strong voice for advocacy and policy reform.
“This will see MTAA enter into collaborative agreements with aligned organisations to maximise our impact for members in policy reform and services. The majority of the MTAs/VACC have already entered into Memorandums of Understandings with the AADA and these are proving to be very beneficial for members.
“The MTAA is also creating an industry forum where automotive industry associations can openly discuss direction and priorities. Our members are strongly of the view that they want us to coordinate what we do so that all of the other MTA groups and VACC are locked in.
“That is the direction they (MTA-NSW) don’t agree with so it is certainly disappointing, from their members perspective that they want to go alone.
“However, we remain strongly of the view that this coordinated joined up approach best meets the needs to the industry and over time NSW members will demand change in their association.
“MTA NSW is a State based association so their issues are the same as experienced by members in all of our MTA groups and the VACC.
“We are recruiting a new Exec Director in Canberra and there are no other changes in terms of governance,” he says.
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