Events

Date: Friday 30th October 2020
Time: 9.00am-11.30am (Eastern Daylight Savings Time)
Location: Via Zoom
Cost: Free of Charge

• Hear from industry and government leaders on key topics that will impact the future of the automotive industry both in Australia and across the globe.
• Find out when Australia will have a mandatory data sharing scheme and what it will look like.
• Get tips on how to tackle the myriad of challenges we are confronting as an industry to not only survive, but thrive by taking advantage of the many opportunities that will arise as our market changes and adapts.

The AAAA is very pleased to announce we will be holding an Automotive Industry Leaders Forum via Zoom. We are extremely fortunate that Federal Assistant Treasurer The Hon Michael Sukkar MP has agreed to provide an update on the Government’s position on mandatory data sharing and the introduction of a stand-alone law and we look forward to the content of his address. This event will also feature a welcome address by AAAA Chairman Mark Pedder as well as keynote presentations by Capricorn Group CEO David Fraser and AAAA Director of Government Relations and Advocacy Lesley Yates. Hosted by AAAA CEO Stuart Charity, this forum will address the very latest developments and global trends in our industry including the fight for Right to Repair and is a must attend event for all automotive parts and accessory resellers and retailers, mechanical repair workshops and aftermarket product manufacturers and suppliers.

Keynote Speakers:

• The Hon Michael Sukkar MP, Federal Assistant Treasurer
• David Fraser, Group CEO, Capricorn Society Limited
• Lesley Yates, Director of Government Relations & Advocacy, Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association

The Hon Michael Sukkar MP, Federal Assistant Treasurer

This address will provide an update on the Government’s position on Mandatory Data Sharing and progress toward the introduction of stand-alone law. The Minister will also give an update on the Government’s view on the future economic outlook and he has also agreed to participate in a Q&A session at the conclusion of his presentation.

David Fraser, Group CEO , Capricorn Society Limited

This session will cover the major findings of Capricorn’s State of the Nation 2020 report which identifies many of the challenges facing our industry  including changing technology, skills shortages, access to information, the future of work, falling margins and evolving customer demands and industry dynamics.  It also finds a real optimism about the future and makes a series of recommendations on how the industry can collectively ‘play to its strengths’ to ensure that we adapt and thrive into the future.

Lesley Yates, Director of Government Relations & Advocacy, Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association

Canada, South Africa, and the US have all reported significant progress in their fight for the ‘Right to Repair’. Australia is now on the verge of a new Law to support fair and open competition in our industry and protect Australia’s 18 million car owners’ right to choose their repairer. Lesley will outline where is Australia is compared to the rest of the global leaders of automotive Right to Repair, and what this means for Australia. 

Program

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Further information on the keynote speakers and presentation content:

The Hon Michael Sukkar MP

The Hon Michael Sukkar MP, Federal Member for Deakin and Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing, will give an address on the Government’s position on Mandatory Data Sharing and progress toward the introduction of stand-alone law. The Minister will also give an update on the Government’s view on the future economic outlook.

In October last year, the Federal Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar committed the Federal Government to establish a new law that would compel car manufacturers to share mechanical repair and service information with the auto repair sector on fair and reasonable commercial terms.

The Minister’s decision to commit to a stand-alone law was based on a mandatory system as recommended by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in 2017 after it found considerable consumer detriment and potential abuse of market power could now occur and that existing voluntary systems are ineffective.

The new law is now expected before the end of 2020 and it will be designed to provide a fairer playing field for the repair and service of the 74 brands of vehicles available in Australia in an industry worth $25 billion annually.

Michael was one of the first MP’s to accept an invitation to visit an independent workshop in his electorate to discuss access to repair and service information. Since then we have met with him on numerous occasions both in Canberra and at repair businesses in his electorate. As such Michael has developed a strong understanding of the issues we face as an industry.

David Fraser

David Fraser is the CEO (Capricorn Group) and has over 35 years’ experience in the automotive industry giving him a unique understanding and insight both in Australia and globally. Hear from David as he discusses the Challenges and Opportunities in the Australian Automotive Repair And Service Industry.

In 2019 David received an Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award in recognition of his leadership, innovation, vision, work ethic and integrity which has made a positive and measurable impact to the ongoing development of Australia’s Automotive Aftermarket Industry.  David is a current Director of various Capricorn subsidiary Boards, a former Director and Past President of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association.  He is also a current Director of the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals, and Deputy Chairman of the Co-operatives Federation of WA.

David holds a Master of Business Administration, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. He is also a Fellow of Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of Australian Institute of Management.

This session will cover the major findings of Capricorn’s State of the Nation 2020 report which surveyed 1500 Capricorn members across Australia and New Zealand. This report identified many of the challenges our industry faces including changing technology, skills shortages, access to information, the future of work, falling margins and evolving customer demands and industry dynamics.  It also finds a real optimism about the future and makes a series of recommendations on how the industry can collectively ‘play to its strengths’ to ensure that we adapt and thrive into the future.

Lesley Yates

AAAA’s Director of Government Relations & Advocacy, Lesley Yates, will lead this session on the global “Right to Repair” movement. AAAA is Australia’s representative on the Global Automotive Right to Repair Committee. The committee collaborates on the worldwide movement for automotive consumer rights and to counter the efforts of large multinational car companies preventing consumer efforts to repair products by denying access to critical repair information.

The amount of control that vehicle manufacturers exert over the aftermarket is a global issue. Every nation is working to limit the power these companies have to capture the consumer for the life of the vehicle, reducing competition and driving up the price of car ownership. What we are looking to do in Australia is nothing more than the Americans have had in place for the past eight years.  The reality is, there is room for both the authorised dealers and the independent sector to continue to operate in parallel offering choice and quality services to consumers who are free to select a repairer based on their own preferences and circumstances. 

Canada, South Africa, and the US have all reported significant progress. Australia is now on the verge of a new law to protect Australia’s 18 million car owners from the potential price gouging that can occur when drivers must return to the car dealer for repair and service. Lesley will outline where is Australia is compared to the rest of the global leaders of automotive Right to Repair, and what this means for Australia.