MTA MOTOR April 2023

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Managing Editor Stephen Moir

Editor Paul Roberts

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Board of Management of the State Council

President: Ray Mountney, Muir Ford, Nissan and Marine

Vice President: Jay Opdam - RAC WA

Treasurer: Moira D’Cruz - Wembley Autocare Robyn Cook, Peel Tyre Service

Joe Giura, Westrans Services WA Pty Ltd

Travis Arnold, Fix Auto

Andrew Houghton, Independent Pat Browne – Pebco Automotive Service

Ms Georgie Withers, Eagers Automotive Dr Irene Ioannakis, Ioannakis and Associates

Group Chief Executive Officer Stephen Moir

AddREssIng LAbOUR shORTAgEs REQUIREs nEW APPROAch

With MTA WA CEO stephen Moir

The automotive industry in Western Australia has faced a number of challenges over the past two and a half years as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Closed borders, the threat of lockdowns, unprecedented demand for services, supply chain issues and general uncertainty about the future have all had an impact on business, both negatively and positively. Thankfully, we are now seeing a return to normal – well almost. Unfortunately, there is one challenge that is showing no signs of easing anytime soon and that is the issue of labour shortages.

The world is in the midst of one of the worst labour shortages in history and if the forecasters are correct, the future does not look good, with one agency predicting global shortages will pass 85 million by 2030.

In 2022, the United States recorded nearly 11 million job vacancies, but only 6.5 million workers were listed as unemployed. It is a similar picture in Europe where there are 1.2 million positions vacant, with particular pressure being felt in the health and manufacturing sectors.

THE WORLD IS IN THE MIDST OF ONE OF THE WORST LABOUR SHORTAGES IN HISTORY AND IF THE FORECASTERS ARE CORRECT, THE FUTURE DOES NOT LOOK GOOD, WITH ONE AGENCY PREDICTING GLOBAL SHORTAGES WILL PASS 85 MILLION BY 2030.

In Australia, where the unemployment rate stands at 3.5%, it is estimated that there are 400,000 vacant positions and we know from member feedback that there are significant shortages across all areas of the automotive sector.

So why is the world in this position and more directly what happened to the workforce over the COVID period? There are several common factors driving the labour shortage across economies.

COvID

There is little doubt that COVID itself is one of the drivers of labour shortages. The World Health Organisation estimates that globally there were “only” 6 million people killed by the pandemic – many of whom were beyond retirement age – so it isn’t that the virus wiped out employees en masse.

It is the broader and more complex impacts of the pandemic that are having a direct influence on the current labour pool. These include factors such as absenteeism and productivity challenges brought on by the physical effects of long COVID and the psychological impact of the entire global population reassessing priorities after being simultaneously slapped with the reality of life’s transience.

Mental Health

Mental health, whilst still underreported due to stigma and a lack of education, is certainly having a large influence on why people are exiting the workplace - and the figures are alarming.

The U.K.’s Office of National Statistics reports that one-half of the over 400,000 employees who left the workforce between February 2020 and November 2021 did so due to longterm mental health issues. In the U.S., a recent survey revealed that two thirds of millennials who quit in 2021 cited mental health as the primary reason. Concerns such as fear of job

security, health issues and additional pressures at home are all impacting on employee mental health and employers need to focus on this area as a priority if they are to retain staff.

Employee Expectations

Employees now have differing expectations when it comes to work and there is a significantly higher focus on work-life balance. Working from home, more flexible hours, additional paid time off and greater autonomy in setting their own schedules are now top of the agenda for job seekers.

Employees now are far more likely to change jobs or leave the workforce altogether if they can’t find the balance they require and some employers are struggling to change their business models in order to deliver the flexibility needed to retain their existing staff.

The world has shifted, and we all need to review how we employ people to ensure that we have a workforce going forward.

In today’s world you, as an employer, are more likely to be evaluated by a prospective employee than the traditional approach of you interviewing them. Employers therefore need to rethink the hiring process to ensure that the benefits of working for your company are at the top of the list during discussions.

Migration

During the pandemic, the world saw countries move into lockdowns and closed borders, closing the door on

one of the key sources of labour, migration.

Migrant workers make up 5 per cent of the global workforce and countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada depend heavily on migration to meet labour market demand. The drive to enforce stricter border controls to stem the spread of the virus effectively shut down migration for over two years and it may take years for labour markets to fully recover from this.

It is worth noting that migrants themselves have changed too. The issues raised above don’t just apply to the permanent domestic workforce. Stories of snap lockdowns separating travellers from their families – along with other perceived risks of working abroad – will undoubtedly mean there will be a smaller – and more demanding – migrant workforce for many years to come.

Ageing Workforce

It is an uncomfortable truth, but we are all getting older and, in fact, the workforce is ageing as birth rates drop. One study suggests that by 2030, one in six people will be aged over 65 and this number will double by 2050.

One of the untapped labour sources available to Australian employers is retirees seeking to re-enter the workplace, either on a part time or full time basis. Currently, restrictions on earnings for retirees prevent many

IT IS THE BROADER AND MORE COMPLEx IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC THAT ARE HAVING A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON THE CURRENT LABOUR POOL THE ENTIRE GLOBAL POPULATION IS REASSESSING PRIORITIES AFTER BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY SLAPPED WITH THE REALITY OF LIFE’S TRANSIENCE

from making this choice, but there is a huge skill set being underutilised and the Federal Government must make it a priority to relax the rules on retiree income if we are to utilise this valuable source of labour.

Governments must understand that labour shortages have a significant impact, not only on business but on society as a whole.

The supply chain shortages that the automotive industry has seen over the past two years are, in a large part, due to shortages and disruptions in the labour force and we are seeing countless businesses across all sectors close because they can’t find staff to run the business.

From an economic perspective, labour shortages set off a domino effect as pressure for higher wages places pressure on inflation, in turn impacting on the household budget.

Conclusion

The labour shortage is a complex problem with no simple solution, but it is essential that employers understand the triggers and some of the potential solutions to attracting and retaining staff in order to keep their businesses going.

The MTA WA is not an association to sit back and do nothing to help to address the labour shortages for our members.

We are currently training a record number of apprentices and technicians looking to upskill for the industry, but we know that will not address the deficiency in the short term. This is why, in October 2022, we launched a skilled migration program targeting skilled workers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

We called for expressions of interest from members, 50 of whom responded immediately with 150 job vacancies.

The MTA WA’s intention is to promote the full range of job opportunities in the automotive sector across WA and to establish an ongoing pipeline to connect skilled migrants with members. We have engaged Perdaman Global Services to assist with visa processing, effectively creating a one stop shop for our members looking to recruit employees from overseas.

In February and March 2023, an MTA WA delegation visited a number of cities in the UK and Ireland to establish connections with prospective

IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2023, AN MTA WA DELEGATION VISITED A NUMBER OF CITIES IN THE UK AND IRELAND TO ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS WITH PROSPECTIVE MIGRANTS, HOST INFORMATION SESSIONS, ATTEND JOB FAIRS AND PARTICIPATE IN MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS ALONGSIDE THE GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

migrants, host information sessions, attend job fairs and participate in media engagements alongside the Government of Western Australia. The mission was complemented by the launch of the MTA WA’s first international marketing campaign titled “Say G’day to WA” which was conducted from the February 10 to the March 8 2023.

Key among the objectives of the campaign was to drive traffic to the MTA WA’s recruitment website, www. autojobsaustralia.com

The campaign was highly successful in raising the awareness of the opportunities available in our industry with 16,421 views of the website and the digital advertisements shown in excess of 2.8 million times during the campaign. The campaign was also featured on BBC news and the UK’s Good Morning Britain,

significantly extending the reach of this strategy.

To date we have received over 200 registrations for positions from not only the UK and Ireland but also India, South Africa, the Philippines and the UAE, indicating that the reach of the campaign was much broader than we had anticipated. As already mentioned, the intention is to establish an ongoing pipeline for skilled migration and it will take several months for the full results to be seen. What is certain is that the campaign was very successful in highlighting the excellent opportunities, both for work and lifestyle, here in WA, and that we have a solid base from which to build in order to benefit our members into the future.

Strange name great car

BYD is not yet a well-known automotive brand in Australia, but that could all be about to change with the new Atto 3 representing an outstanding proposition for customers in the market for a reasonably priced all electric SUV. BYD, or Build Your Dreams, has in fact been around since 2003 producing passenger cars, buses, trucks and electric bikes from its headquarters in Xi’an China. In 2022, BYD became the world’s largest EV manufacturer, surpassing Tesla by 500,000 units, and it is currently are the third largest producer of electric vehicle batteries with a global market share of 12 per cent.

In 2019, BYD launched its global design centre, recruiting specialists from Audi, Ferrari and Mercedes Benz to develop new product lines that would have broad-based appeal internationally and you can clearly see the results of their

work in our test car, the Atto 3. I took delivery of my Atto 3 from BYD’s new showroom in West Perth, which was formally the City Motors Holden dealership. The site is perfect to show off the range of BYD vehicles, offering a bright, ultra clean space befitting the high end tech of the manufacturer. Hand over was incredibly efficient and within 10 minutes I was on my way. The first thing that impressed me was the ease at which I was able to pair my phone to the car – effortless even for a tech dinosaur like me. That feeling sums up this EV – easy to use and even easier to like.

But let’s start at the beginning. The Atto 3 is a sub $60,000, all electric SUV using a dedicated, designed from the ground up platform. The ultramodern design is not dissimilar to a number of similar sized SUVs, particularly within the Kia stable, but it works really well. The build quality is very good and the

ByD ATTO 3 RE v IEW: STEPHEN MOIR

car looks and feels solid and not cheap – a point best made by the solid ‘thunk’ when you close the doors. While not a fan of this particular shade of green, I was impressed with the paint quality and a close inspection of door and panel gaps showed a very consistent level of finish.

The Atto 3 is powered by a single electric motor producing 150kWs and is currently only available as a front wheel drive. It’s published range is 420 kilometres and the car has both AC and DC charge points. From a charging perspective, a three-pin home socket can be used if you have plenty of available time but the recommendation would be to invest in a wall charger which will see the battery returned to full capacity in around seven hours.

Using a public DC charger at 50kWh will bring the battery to approximately 80 per cent in 50 minutes – not a bad

outcome for a car that has a capacity of 60kW. I used the MTA’s 50kW charging box for just under two hours, replenishing the battery from 47 per cent to 85 per cent.

This is a very funky car and I really liked the interior and its overtones of French design, such as circular, CD-like air vents and ‘guitar string’ sides to the door bins – a clever idea that actually works. Just don’t show the kids because the annoyance factor will build up very quickly.

The seats are finished in a two-toned synthetic leather and are very supportive. The rear seats offer ample legroom, and the feeling of space is accentuated by the panoramic sunroof. At night the doors feature ambient lighting rotating through a colour scheme, adding to the feeling of luxury.

The dash is dominated by a centrally mounted 12.8inch screen that can pivot from landscape to portrait with a simple press of a button. However, wearing polarised sunglasses does create some visual issues viewing information when in portrait mode. That aside, the screen offers exceptional clarity, particularly in camera and navigation modes with the map being one of the clearest I have seen to date.

The central screen also allows easy access

to a range of options including Apple CarPlay and Android, Spotify, FM and DAB+ radio, voice assistant, Bluetooth phone, a forward driving recorder as well as vehicle monitoring. The driver has a smaller 5-inch instrument cluster that provides a range of key information including speed, power usage, range, tyre pressure monitoring and active settings and whilst I found this to be a bit small, you do get accustomed to it very quickly.

Driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control, front and rear collision warning, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and autonomous emergency braking. Some of the controls take a little bit of time to work out, such as the cruise control and wiper functions, but overall the interior is very functional, spacious and, importantly, comfortable.

On the road the Atto is exceptionally quiet and generally well mannered, although it does suffer from torque steer when pushed, meaning some care is needed. Power delivery is very smooth and responsive, as is the braking.

During two days of driving, one of which including heavy rain, the car was tested in a range of conditions, including freeway cruising and city peak hour traffic and I averaged just on 15kWh

per 100kms which would validate the suggested 400-plus kilometre range. The car has a solid feel when driving which gives the driver a feeling of confidence.

My only criticism of the Atto’s handling is in relation to the tyres, which are Atlas Batman A51s. In order to improve a number of areas in relation to road handling, I would recommend switching to better tyres post purchase. The Atto 3 comes with a six year or 150,000 kilometre warranty, and the battery is covered for eight years or 160,000 kilometres. It features a five star ANCAP Safety rating.

In conclusion, the BYD Atto 3 is a well-engineered, competent car that represents excellent value for money for anyone considering the purchase of a battery electric vehicle. It is equipped with standard ‘options’ that most manufacturers have as added extras and when you consider the price delivered here in WA is $51,011 plus on road costs, it is a very strong value proposition. An added bonus is that the car qualifies for the State Government Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Rebate Scheme, further reducing the cost by $3,500.

I would like to thank the team at BYD Perth and Eagers Automotive for making the Atto 3 available for this test.

2022 graduating class off to strong start

Coming a full circle, the MTA WA’s registered training organisation – the Automotive Institute of Technology (AIT) – celebrated the achievements of the Graduate Class of 2022 in January this year in the place where it all began – the AIT training facility in Balcatta.

The ceremony, which was attended by over 130 guests, including parents, partners, friends, family, trainers and staff, was opened by MTA WA Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Manager, Mel Greenhow.

In a motivating speech, Mel warmly welcomed the guests and acknowledged the achievements of the 2022 graduates following the successful completion of the formal training element of their qualifications.

Adding a personal touch to the evening, Mel shared a glimpse into his own journey within the industry. Highlighting the paths that he has traversed during his career; he offered a lived perspective of how rewarding an automotive career can be, both on and off the tools.

Turning his attention to the graduates, he said “I encourage each of you to pursue your chosen paths with commitment, resilience, initiative, and positivity so that you are successful not only in your work, but in everything you do.”

A special thanks was also given to event sponsor Spirit Super, who have recently launched their ‘Start Strong’ campaign which aims to equip young automotive workers with financial literacy in order to help them get the best out of their superannuation journey.

Marking this formative occasion in their careers, the

graduates were each called to the stage and presented with their AIT Certificate of Completion. In addition, George Brown was awarded the ‘Trainers’ Choice Award,’ a commendation from his trainers for his dedication, maturity, great classroom manner and positive attitude.

After the formalities concluded, the enjoyment of the delicious catering and the sharing of stories and laughter began. The graduates made the most of the opportunity to celebrate with their classmates, ensuring memories were captured with Spirit Super’s roaming photobooth.

The graduates were among more than 200 apprentices and pre-apprentices who completed their classroom training with the AIT in 2022.

With over 1,000 students expected to train with the AIT in 2023 alone, the MTA WA training team continues to ensure that students are entering the industry with the most up-to-date knowledge and technological experience available.

The AIT aims to remain the trainer of choice for the automotive industry and investment into training programs and facilities are ongoing as it builds on its reputation. An example of the AIT’s industry-leading commitment is its position as the only training provider in Western Australia offering accredited electric vehicle training.

The Motor Trade Association of WA and the Automotive Institute of Technology wishes its graduating Class of 2022 every success in their automotive careers and looks forward to seeing some familiar faces back in the future in pursuit of post-trade training.

Students from the AIT’s Class of 2022

Spirit Super photobooth

George Brown –winner of the 2022 Trainers’ Choice Award with his parents

James Poh is presented with his certificate by RTO Manager Mel Greenhow as Master of Ceremonies, GTO Manager Steve Spini, looks on

Passion wins out despite ongoing challenges

WORDS AND PICTURES :

When a Mack 1 Kawasaki customer enters the Wangara store with a hamper of wine, food and flowers, an appreciative smile appears on the face of owner Mark Daviot.

“A little something to say thank you to the staff for sorting that problem with the air leak from my tyre on Saturday morning,” the customer says.

Mark knows that delivering outstanding customer service is not only good for business, it’s essential in order to stay afloat in the cut throat motorcycle industry.

“We have to give a very high level of service because the motorcycle base is only around 15 percent of the population and of that small number, we have to ensure we get repeat customers in order to keep the doors open,” Mark says.

Unfortunately, the appreciative customer bearing gifts is the exception rather than the rule and Mark has noticed an increasing trend of negative attitudes towards his staff due mostly to the supply issues that continue to plague the industry.

“I’ve lost a few good staff over the past couple of months due to what I can only describe as retail burn out,” Mark says.

“Retail customers can sometimes be very

unforgiving when they are confronted with delays on the delivery of bikes, jet skis or parts and even though it’s nothing we can control, they will unfortunately take it out on staff.

“It’s obviously not just this industry,” Mark is quick to point out, explaining this attitude from some customers seems to be worse since the Covid pandemic. “It’s terrible that you can witness a 40-year-old customer tearing strips off the young worker behind the counter at McDonalds because the burger wasn’t quite right.”

“When we experience this from the motorbike fraternity, it cuts very deeply because the team, just like the customers we are serving, share the same passion and enthusiasm for bikes and don’t expect to be treated with such a lack of respect,” Mark says.

Supply issues continue to be a major problem for Mark and having owned the iconic Mack 1 Kawasaki store in Midland since 2007, establishing the Wangara store in 2010 and revitalising the Victoria Park Perth Kawasaki store in 2018, it is telling that he describes the current situation as the worst it’s ever been.

As an example, he cites taking orders for jet skis just prior to Christmas 2021. Delivery was expected by April 2022 but actually arrived in the first week of December last year. To add salt to the wound, only 25 percent of the order was

filled, with a second shipment finally hitting Perth in early March this year.

“This doesn’t help sales,” Mark says in a masterful display of understatement. “It’s also a nightmare for cashflow and man hours.”

“When someone orders a bike or jet ski, I have to be brutally honest nowadays and say I can’t guarantee supply and I certainly can’t give an accurate delivery date.

“I never take deposits, only names because as soon as you take a deposit, the customer thinks you owe them something.

“You still get people who want to pay over and above the retail price to jump the queue, but I just won’t work like that. If you’re fourth on the list and I only get supplied three bikes, I’m sorry but you have to wait.

“It’s the only fair way of working in this current climate of supply issues,” Mark says.

Somewhat surprisingly, Mark has not witnessed a growing demand for motorcycles off the back of increased fuel prices over the past 12 or so months.

“The only time I think the fuel price will really start to have a significant impact on changing the habits of motorists is if it were to get up to $3 to $4 a litre,” he says.

However, he has witnessed first-hand the increased promotion and subsequent usage of motorcycles around the world as a far more efficient and environmentally friendly way of controlling spiralling city congestion.

“Tokyo in particular, as well as many European cities, have introduced dedicated laneways for motorcycles into the city centres with free parking for bikes and outrageous parking costs for cars,” Mark said.

“Such incentives work for you hardly see any

PAUL ROBERTS

You still get people who want to pay over and above the retail price to jump the queue, but I just won’t work like that. If you’re fourth on the list and I only get supplied three bikes, I’m sorry but you have to wait.

Mark Daviot

cars in Tokyo. Traffic movement is much more efficient, as is the use of parking space.”

He sees great merit in trying to reintroduce such an idea in Perth following what was ultimately an unsuccessful 12 month trial in 2015 where motorcycles shared the dedicated bus and taxi lanes into the city.

“With 80 per cent of cars driving into the city with just one person, we are witnessing ever increasing gridlocks during peak hours and the Government solution is to spend phenomenal amounts on road widening,” Mark said.

“It’s easy to say that as a motorcycle store owner I have a vested interest, but I think we need to have a

Electric future or irrelevant?

greenfield look at some of the alternatives and see if there are better ways of doing things.”

Should more people discover the freedom of motorcycle riding, Mark is in no doubt that there would be fewer accidents on the road.

“It’s a lot easier to mentally ‘switch off’ driving a car,” he says. “On a bike you have to be a lot more alert and a lot more courteous for if you’re not, your life is at risk.

“I absolutely believe that motorcycle riders are better car drivers for this reason.”

Despite less than ideal business conditions over the past few years, Mark still loves his job and the challenges it presents everyday as “a very hands-on business owner working in the stores.”

“I just can’t imagine myself doing anything else because despite all the ongoing challenges and almost needing a crystal ball to predict the future, this is an exciting and rewarding job and I get to work with and meet similarly passionate people everyday.

“I was born in a house above the Fina service station workshop my parents owned in the UK so I always say I was brought into this world with the smell of petrol in my room,” Mark says with a smile.

“I’ve been a enthusiast my whole life, probably getting my first bike around 12 or 13 years of age and the family have always worked in the motor trades industry as well as being heavily into motorsport.

“Before buying Mack 1 in Midland, and then subsequently expanding with the other two shop fronts, my career was in the food and beverage corporate world,” Mark explained.

“I became very disenchanted so decided to get into something I was truly passionate about,” he said. “The best part? Now I don’t hate Mondays anymore!”

The roll out of electric motorcycles is still very much in its infancy and Mark Daviot doesn’t envisage any immediate change on the horizon.

“Kawasaki apparently have a couple in the pipeline for release at some point in 2024 utilising bodywork from the Ninja range and other off-the-shelf parts from their range,” Mark said.

“This will hopefully keep the price down a little for the problem with electric bikes, as with the cars to some extent, is the cost, weight and, of course, potential range,” he said.

Mark thinks that Kawasaki, along with the other major Japanese manufacturers, will be waiting to see what the rest of the world is doing before they invest too much into this new technology.

“They will follow rather than lead as the Japanese constructors are not traditionally gamblers,” he says.

“If an electric bike comes out and it has a lot of capability and features then it’s got a great chance of being a game changer.

“However, if it is a poor cousin of a combustion engine motorbike, which really is very efficient and very good at what it does, then I think the whole roll out of electric bikes will flounder for a while.

“I really do hope we get a great product and that we can develop that market in the same way that the electric car market has been revolutionised by Tesla and other manufacturers,” Mark said.

Valuing MTA WA support

Mark Daviot is a long time member of the MTA WA and very much values the services it delivers.

“There have been many occasions when something comes across the desk which is outside of our normal field of operation and the MTA WA is always just a phone call away to help and guide us,” Mark said.

Aside from staying up-to-date with award rates to ensure staff are correctly renumerated, Mark says that the most vital service delivered to Mack 1 by the

MTA WA is having access to Human Resources (HR) support.

“In the past, we have had expert legal support and representation in court from the MTA WA which proved absolutely invaluable,” Mark said.

“The longer I’ve spent in this business, I’ve seen more and more how as dealers we can exercise more influence as a collective rather than individuals and likewise I appreciate the advocacy the MTA WA brings to the motor trades as a whole.”

‘‘ I was born in a house above the Fina service station workshop my parents owned in the UK so I always say I was brought into this world with the smell of petrol in my room.

It’s a (wo)man’s world

Apprentice to technician – the Shacks approach

Rockingham Volkswagen Dealer Principal Stuart Long describes the Shacks Motor Group’s approach to apprenticeships as a marathon, not a sprint.

“We want to be a good destination for apprentices as that breeds its own momentum and means that we are future proofing ourselves for 5, 10, 15 plus years,” he says.

Service Manager Paul Campopiano agrees, saying that getting the best of the best, and keeping them, means ensuring they are well trained and well respected.

While Lilly was taken on as a mature-aged apprentice, Paul generally likes to bring on enthusiastic young people at the beginning of their trade experience.

“We have a very strong mentoring program which ensures that the apprentices are taught correctly right from the start. They are never left to try and work things out for themselves,” Paul says.

Adopting a “buddy system”, where different technicians spend time with individual apprentices, allows new recruits to see different ways of approaching problems, ultimately developing their own techniques.

Paul is full of praise for the MTA WA’s Group Training program and currently has four MTA apprentices in his workshop.

“The MTA WA has a fantastic selection process and a strong understanding of the importance of attitude, personality and passion, not to mention excellent classroom training,” he says.

“We want the best of the best and that’s what the MTA WA delivers.”

AND PICTURES

Lilly Huntley walks into the lunch room located to the side of Rockingham Volkswagen’s impressive workshop wearing a beaming smile.

As introductions are made she instantly lights up the room with her bubbly personality and genuine excitement at having the opportunity to share the story of finally realising her childhood dream.

Growing up in a mechanically orientated family where pulling down motorbikes and rebuilding them was child’s play for Lilly, her passion for all things motor related was born at a very young age.

“Dad was always a keen amateur mechanic and he would show me and my brother (also a mechanic) how to do things,” Lilly said. “Working with tools and mechanical things just always seemed so natural to me.

“I think of cars and motorbikes as really interesting puzzles and I’ve always been into pulling things apart, seeing how they

work and putting them back together,” Lilly explained.

By the time she was 15, her brother was an apprentice mechanic with Toyota and when Lilly expressed a desire to work at the dealership, it was strongly suggested that this wasn’t an industry for a girl.

It was to be the first of many brick walls she would come up against while attempting to break into this traditionally male dominated industry but, to her credit, she never gave up on that childhood dream.

“I worked in the hospitality industry for six years, mostly as the manager of a busy café in Mandurah, continually questioning what I was doing,” Lilly said.

“The thought of being a mechanic was always in the back of my mind and after the first four years in hospitality it annoyed me that I could have been a qualified technician by now if I’d been given the chance.”

So Lilly took things into her own hands,

signing up for a pre-apprenticeship course at TAFE and doing some work experience at Mandurah Nissan.

“I absolutely loved it,” she enthused. “I didn’t have a day off in six months, working three days as the café manager, doing three days at TAFE and then one day a week work experience with Nissan. This was in early 2020 and just as the Covid pandemic plunged the world into a holding pattern, Lilly’s journey toward realising that long-held dream was also brought to a halt.

The desire to work in the motor industry was still strong, however, and in January 2022 she successfully applied for a job as a service advisor at a local dealership. Despite the then service manager strongly championing Lilly’s cause, her hopes of moving into the workshop were again dashed when he was suddenly sacked in late June. His parting words confirmed the dealership had no intention of taking

her on as an apprentice.

“It was suggested to me that because I’m female and in my late 20s, people will not hire me because I may be planning on having kids, which I’m not,” Lilly said.

“This really pierced me and made me feel so insignificant. Just because of the way I was born, I don’t get the same opportunities as males and there’s literally nothing I can do about it.”

However, the sacking of her boss was to be a ‘sliding doors’ moment for Lilly.

Kevin Element, one of the head MTA WA trainers, happened to be visiting the dealership on that particular day and when Lilly approached him for help, he immediately put her in touch with MTA WA Field Officer Johnny Kyriacou.

“Probably a day or two later I met Lilly in a Mandurah café during her lunch break and was instantly impressed with her knowledge, passion and dedication,”

Johnny said.

“I immediately suggested to Rockingham Volkswagen Service Manager Paul Campopiano that Lilly would be a perfect fit as a mature-aged apprentice,” he said.

While Johnny rushed through the required paperwork to meet a Federal Government mature-aged apprenticeship subsidy program that was due to expire in a few days, Lilly met with Paul that evening.

“It was the best interview I have ever had,” Lilly says. “Paul made me feel so comfortable, showed me around the workshop and then asked if I could start the next day.

“I felt like I had been fighting so hard for so long trying to find a doorway into what I knew was the right thing for me but I continually hit brick walls due to what can only have been underlying sexism.

“After all the hurdles I’d previously encountered it somehow felt like a

LILLY HUNTLEY TRIED FOR YEARS

TO BREAK INTO THE MALE-DOMINATED AUTOMOTIVE WORKSHOP WORLD NOW SHE’S THERE, THERE’S NO TURNING BACK

Rockingh AM Volks WAg E n s ERV ic E MA n Ag ER, PAU l c AMP

WORDS

: PAUL ROBERTS

totally appropriate outcome that this all finally happened in an absolute mad rush,” Lilly said. She admits those first few weeks were very intimidating – not due to the workload but the ever present perception, either realised or imagined, that a workshop is no place for a female.

“I already knew the concerns most males have,” Lilly explains. “They’re worried about sexual harassment suggestions and whether a woman can actually do the job so they’re immediately putting a bad light on something that doesn’t even necessarily exist.

“When I first started I tried to hide my femininity and made sure I didn’t stand out as I was scared of the boys saying ‘look at her – what’s she going to be able to do?’

“I did feel like I had so much more to prove because of being a female,” Lilly said. “Yes, sometimes I struggle to do certain things, but only because I’m new to the trade, not because I’m female or weak.”

Thankfully Lilly’s concerns have been largely unfounded with the environment at Rockingham Volkswagen one of on-going support, encouragement and appreciation of her abilities.

Paul Campopiano describes Lilly as “more than capable, mostly working independently and probably currently at the same level as a second year apprentice.”

“Lilly has been a brilliant addition to our team, not only because of her passion for the cars but also because she brings so much life and vitality to the whole dealership with her fantastic personality,” Paul said.

Dealer Principal Stuart Long agrees, saying that Lilly has a very bright future.

“Mechanics don’t necessarily make good managers but Lilly is such a bright and bubbly person and has the fantastic attributes of knowing how things work and being a great communicator,” he said.

“Someone like Lilly would easily be able to transition into a managerial role in the future should she wish, although I can also see her career path heading towards a master technician,” he says

Stuart cites a particular story when explaining why Lilly continues to excel.

“Two things we can really measure with technicians is their productivity and their efficiency but sometimes apprentices don’t understand what this means,” he says.

“One morning at a meeting I asked if

everyone understood the difference between the two terms and amongst all the down facing nodding heads the only person who put up their hand and said ‘no’ was Lilly.

“I explained productivity is how many hours you’re actually doing work while efficiency is measured by completing a job under or over the time it should have taken.

“Lilly is the one person who, without fail, checks the board everyday to see where her efficiency level is and takes a great deal of satisfaction from being ahead,” Stuart said.

Nine months into her apprenticeship, Lilly is more convinced than ever that she was destined to be a mechanic.

“I’m a perfectionist and really strive to be the very best I can, taking great pride in everything I do,” Lilly says. “I’m so grateful to be here and so excited for my future and to see how far I can go. I just love my job so much”

And her advice for other females hoping to break into the motor industry?

“Don’t give up on your dreams and don’t be intimated. Know that you can do this and it’s going to be great. And just be true to yourself.”

‘‘ I do feel like I have so much more to prove because of being a female.

Yes, sometimes I struggle to do certain things, but only because I’m new to the trade, not because I’m female or weak.

We are family ...

I don’t think we have done anything particularly out of the ordinary regarding our support of Jake, but maybe that’s just who we are. There is no doubt some workshops out there would have gone ‘this isn’t going to work for us. Get him out and give us another one.’ That was never even considered. It would be like one of your kids getting sick and saying ‘I don’t like that one anymore, get me a new one!’ Everyone goes through challenges from time to time and if you give them that little bit of extra nurturing, they pay you back in spades. We value all our staff and want to make sure we keep them so it’s important they feel safe and respected when they come to work. We have a lot of staff who have been with us for over 20 years and you don’t get that unless you treat staff like family. At the end of the day, they really are our most important resource.

Cancer can’t beat quiet achiever

Inspirational, courageous, brave and determined are all words that describe 20-year-old Rockingham Volkswagen apprentice Jake Whale.

If an unfortunate turn of events had not befallen Jake, these terms would be written in connection with Jake’s progress as a highly skilled second year apprentice and his demonstrated abilities above and beyond expectations. His story, however, is one of a young man who inspired so many employees at one of Western Australia’s largest automotive dealerships with his never give up approach when confronted with a cancer diagnosis.

It’s also a great example of the mutual benefits for both employer and employee when emotional and physical support to a valued team member is provided without hesitation or question in a time of crisis.

Rockingham Volkswagen Service Manager Paul Campopiano takes up the story, clearly remembering the day in May 2022 when one of his young apprentices came into his office suggesting something was not quite right.

Unlike the usual mechanical queries, Paul found himself advising Jake to immediately see a doctor following the discovery of a painful lump on his neck. It may well have saved Jake’s life.

“Upon inspection, I thought this does not feel or look right and I insisted he go home immediately and organise a

doctor’s appointment,” Paul said.

“I was relieved he felt he could confide in me for, as we know, some kids, and males in particular, will very often ignore these warning signs until it’s too late.”

Jake was subsequently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a relatively aggressive blood cancer that can quickly spread through the body.

Paul was present when Jake received the news via telephone and “needless to say, Jake wasn’t in a great place.”

However, Jake is a quiet achiever and, according to Paul, is someone “who just gets on with things. Nothing is ever too hard.”

“He has certainly proved that time and time again over the past nine or so months and his resolve to keep on pushing forward despite fighting the disease has been something that has touched and inspired every single one of us at Rockingham Volkswagen and, indeed, throughout the whole Shacks family,” Paul said.

Having been involved in the motor industry for over 25 years, Paul has “worn every hat on the after sales side and I like to think I’ve seen it all.”

“However, you’ve never seen it all and being involved with Jake’s battle was a brand new experience for me,” he said.

“He’s a great kid with an awful lot of potential and there was never any question that we were going to support him through what was no doubt going to be a very difficult journey.”

Paul, with the full backing of the Shacks Group, was insistent that Jake take as much time off as he needed before returning to work.

He also provided a high level of emotional support, taking on the role of ‘work father’ and maintaining regular contact with Jake while he was having chemotherapy treatment or tests “just to make sure he was doing okay and to let him know we were all concerned for him.”

“At the end of the day, if it were one of my children I would want them to be treated in exactly the same way,” Paul said. With the painful rigors of weekly chemotherapy causing extreme fatigue and hair loss, Jake’s never give up attitude was always in evidence and he continued to turn up to work several days a week, despite being under no obligation to do so.

“It is a testament to his character and his fantastic work ethic that regardless of how he was feeling, he wanted to work as much as possible,” Paul said.

Quietly spoken Jake sees it slightly differently. “I would have just been driven insane staying at home with nothing to do,” he says, expressing surprise that his story had proved inspirational to the staff and management of the Shacks Group.

“I struggle with not doing anything and the treatment just amplified this,” he said. “However, it was definitely a rollercoaster ride for physically I just wanted to rest but mentally I knew I had to work and at the end of the day, regardless of how sick I felt, I was always glad that I had gone in to the workshop.

“I think it definitely helped me get through this challenge.

“The support I had from Paul, the MTA WA and everyone here definitely took the some of the stress away and, to

be honest, I can’t really find the words to express how appreciative I am of receiving such genuine emotional and physical support from my employer and workmates when I know they could have just as easily kicked me to the kerb,” Jake said.

Jake has now been given the all clear, albeit with regular oncology appointments scheduled for the next couple of years. He is looking forward to getting on with his life and his career.

“I love this job and the challenges it presents,” he said. “New Volkswagens feature some of the most advanced technologies in passenger vehicles, and that, at times, can be a little overwhelming.”

“However, all the computer technology is very interesting and I’m super excited to continue learning and understanding as this is the direction all manufacturers are moving in.”

With his parents working on farms and outback stations as mechanics throughout his childhood, his passion for cars and all things mechanical developed while looking over his father’s shoulder and offering assistance.

“I just fell in love with it and as soon as I left school, I applied to the MTA WA for an apprenticeship,” he said.

“I love tinkering with stuff, pulling things apart, working out how they work and putting everything back together again.”

More than half way through the second year of his apprenticeship, he has well and truly excelled despite the amount of time away from the workshop.

“Jake has such great potential,” Paul Campopiano says. “He has an genuine interest in cars and the new technologies and we are all so pleased that he is again back in the workshop fulltime.”

With a clean bill of health, the ongoing support of Rockingham Volkswagen and Jake’s extraordinary dedication and work ethic, his future is now looking very bright indeed.

WORDS AND PICTURES : PAUL ROBERTS

‘‘Jake has proved that nothing is too hard time and time again over the past nine or so months and his resolve to keep on pushing forward despite fighting the disease has been truly inspirational.

Rockingh AM Volks WAg E n D EA l ER P R inci PA l, sTUART long

MTA experts delivering world-class EV training

WORDS AND PICTURES : PAUL ROBERTS

As any mechanic reading this will attest, the motor trade industry is evolving at such a fast pace that on-going training from highly skilled experts is essential.

“The only thing that has changed in plumbing over the past few decades is switching from copper to plastic pipe and electricians only really have to worry about three wires,” Matt Wemyss, MTA WA Assistant Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Manager, says with a smile.

“However in our industry, new systems and technologies are literally being introduced by manufacturers every six months or so which means technicians and apprentices who want to remain on top of their game rely so much on the

training we can provide,” he said.

Matt is one of the MTA WA’s experts tasked with providing apprentice training and assessment as well as conducting specialist post-trade courses.

Along with fellow MTA WA trainer Paddy Fiumano, Matt is responsible for delivering an intensive 5-day training course focussing on electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid technology. It is the only course of its type on offer in Western Australia.

Matt and Paddy are extremely well credentialed to provide the expert training given their backgrounds as specialists with pioneer hybrid and EV manufacturer Toyota.

“We both did a lot OE hybrid training

While the MTA WA is firmly committed to the increased uptake of EV technology in order to reduce emissions, it does foresee potential problems for consumers if the industry does not begin to up skill in greater numbers. knowledge with equally passionate people,” Matt said.

with Toyota and at various times both represented Western Australia at conferences, liaising and sharing knowledge with Toyota engineers about the emerging technologies,” Matt said.

“Toyota obviously provided training to all their technicians, but at a certain point it became invite only and that’s when we would get down to the real nitty gritty,” he said.

Matt left Toyota about three and a half years ago to join the training team at the MTA WA and, after a couple of months in his new position, persuaded Paddy to join him.

Both men agree it was one of the best career decisions they have made.

“Working now as a trainer for the MTA

has totally reinvigorated my passion for the industry and a big part of that is we have the luxury of being able to focus on some really interesting advances in vehicle technology,” Matt explains.

“When I was at Toyota and a job came in that I hadn’t seen or experienced before I was like ‘cool, what’s going on here, what’s the problem, how does this work?’

“For me that was the fun stuff and I loved the challenge but the pressure of the customer breathing down your neck and the boss wanting to know why you weren’t faster and so on always took the shine off the work.

“I’m absolutely loving what I do now because we get to work with all this new technology and to share our

Paddy agrees, saying that being able to share his enthusiasm and knowledge for hybrid and EV technology is almost like indulging in a favourite hobby.

“We are totally passionate about what we are teaching and I think everyone really appreciates that,” Paddy said. “I have never heard one bad word about the course with all the comments we get back overwhelmingly positive.”

Unsurprisingly Paddy remembers those early days as a trainer as “absolutely terrifying.”

“After 18 years with Ford and five years at Toyota on the tools, coming to the MTA in a teaching position was a

Paddy Fiumano

crystal balling the future

When asked about what the automotive landscape may look like in five to 10 years, Matt and Paddy both think that we are currently in a “just before the transition period”.

“The global market is suggesting full EV which is a bit extreme as I don’t think the infrastructure will be in a position to handle such a change,” Paddy said.

“A better solution would be an EV, Hybrid and hydrogen mix, to ensure that we meet the mineral and resource requirements for all the different technologies.

“But where I think the best future technology lies is in fuel cell electric (FCEVs) vehicles powered by renewable hydrogen.

“The only thing coming out of the tail pipe is water vapour, which is obviously good for the environment, and the batteries required are about the size of a current hybrid vehicle meaning weight savings and less complexity,” he said.

Matt Wemyss

Online EV course ensures safe work practices

real baptism of fire as it requires a totally different set of skills,” he said.

“You’re still heavily involved in the automotive world but in a way I feel that I’m probably learning more now because as an educator you put a lot of effort into preparation and staying ahead of the curve.

“You also have to put on a ‘show’ to ensure everyone is totally engaged but when you’re as passionate as we are about the subject that part actually feels quite natural,” Paddy said.

While the MTA WA is firmly committed to the increased uptake of EV technology in order to reduce emissions, it does foresee potential problems for consumers if the industry does not begin to upskill in greater numbers.

“The vehicles themselves are pretty solid in the way they are designed and engineered and generally can be considered as a more reliable option than traditional ICE cars due to less moving parts,” Paddy said.

“However, the biggest problem we are facing is the lack of uptake from the industry regarding training in this new technology because when something does go wrong – and it will – the componentry requires very specialised servicing,” he said.

The trainers are pleased to see a few workshops getting on the front foot and investing the time and money to have all their staff complete the 5 day course in order to be able to promote their credentials as EV specialists.

“I know of one MTA WA member who, upon completing the course, included EV servicing as part of his building signage,” Matt explained.

“An EV owner appeared off the back of this because they didn’t know where to take the car apart from the dealer who

had quoted $800 for a service and $200 to analyse a warning light.

“The problem was something stupid like the air filter for the battery being blocked and he won a new customer because of the knowledge garnered at our course,” Matt said.

The MTA WA has built up a fantastic array of up-to-date EV and hybrid training vehicles, including two unique front-end only, fully interactive cut down Hyundai cars as well as an extensive collection of electric motors and batteries.

“We get fantastic manufacturer support from the likes of Hyundai, Kia and Toyota and this ensures that our training facilities in Balcatta are right up there with the best in the world,” Matt said.

For further information on the 5-day EV and hybrid training course, please contact RTO Manager Mel Greenhow on 0447 497 433 or mel.greenhow@mtawa.com.au

Launched late last year, the MTA WA’s self-paced online course “Working Safely with Battery and Hybrid Electric Vehicles” has enjoyed a strong initial uptake. However, with increasing EV and hybrid sales, the organisation is urging the industry to get on board with this essential online learning.

Designed to introduce participants to the fundamental requirements for interacting safely and confidently with high voltage electrical systems, the MTA WA’s Automotive Institute of Technology (AIT) is currently the only training organisation in Western Australia to provide EV and Hybrid education.

The course is the result of several months solid work by the MTA WA Registered Training Organisation (RTO) team led by Manager Mel Greenhow.

The main aim of the online course is to instil a strong understanding of the safety precautions required to work with battery-powered electric motors.

“We’re not playing with batteries or high voltage componentry but rather explaining how to depower an electric motor, standard checks to ensure

it is safe to work on, minimum PPE equipment required such as 1,000 volt gloves and so on,” Mel said.

“When working with high voltage systems, one wrong move could lead to serious injury or worse so as the industry body we are totally committed to providing this critical training,” he said.

Upon the completion of the online course, participants are then required to undertake a practical in-house assessment in order to attain the nationally recognised competency accreditation.

Successful students are then eligible to apply to the Automotive Service and Repair Authority (AASRA) for manufacturer service and repair information for battery and hybrid vehicles.

The online course is a precursor to the intensive 5 day workshop-based training at the AIT where experts Matt Wemyss and Paddy Fiumano focus on understanding and working with hybrid and electric vehicle technology.

“Legislation in Australia requires technicians to have demonstrated competency in order to access service

and repair manuals for electric and hybrid vehicles, hence the practical assessment component,” Mel said.

One of the major benefits of the online course is the convenience and flexibility it offers to participants with its selfpaced format and is seen by the MTA WA as a very good way for the industry to gain competency without excessive downtime.

The course contains five, short interactive learning modules, covering topics including the nature of electricity, depowering and reinitialising electric vehicles and basic electric vehicle diagnostics.

A broad range of industry professionals can benefit from the course, including, but not limited to, qualified technicians and apprentices seeking to upskill, repairers or panel beaters requiring access to manufacturer repair information and automotive business owners who have a work health and safety duty of care to their employees.

For further information and registration, visit www.mtawa. com.au/training-licensing-hub

50 years? challenge accepted!

Alan Moody, owner of Haulmore Trailer Sales, has lived his business life by the motto “Challenges Accepted.” Along with framed photographs of some of the impressive transport equipment Alan and his team have manufactured, the two motivating words are the first thing visitors see when entering the reception area of the Hazelmere-based business.

And as Haulmore celebrates 50 years of meeting those challenges, Alan could not be more proud of the contribution he and the company have made to the Western Australia transport industry.

“The heavy vehicle manufacturers in Western Australia and the people who operate the trucks and trailers are absolutely the best in the world – no doubt,” Alan explains.

“I’ve travelled extensively and what we do in this State has no comparison when you consider the distances travelled in some of the harshest climatic conditions in the world and the very challenging roads we often encounter,” he said.

As a manufacturer of a range of heavy transport equipment, including low loaders, water tankers, road train dollies, side tippers and flat top trailers, Alan says the unique nature of Western Australian conditions requires specialised design solutions.

“I’m extremely proud that we continue to be a pioneer of designing and manufacturing to suit the transport task,” Alan said, citing receipt of a coveted Australian Design Award as acknowledgement of industry excellence.

“You can’t buy this stuff off the shelf for we specifically tailor it to the requirement of a particular job, whether that be transporting iron ore in the

Pilbara, road base or sand in the metro area or grain in the Wheatbelt.

“We design and manufacture the product to suit the Western Australian conditions the trailer is going to confront in transporting the goods from point A to point B.

“This may mean we sometimes overbuild but is that a bad thing? No, because our trailers do the best possible job while also aiming to reliably achieve the lowest cost per tonne per kilometre,” he said.

As well as designing and manufacturing equipment, Haulmore also operates a rental fleet of 100 units with about 70 per cent utilised at any one time.

Alan is also very proud of the part Haulmore has played in building careers in the transport industry with the business placing a strong emphasis on apprentice training.

“Over the last 40 or so years, we have trained a large number of apprentices to become master craftsmen and many of those people are now in leadership positions within the transport industry,” he said.

Career path began with broken leg

When Alan was 21 and unsure of where his future lay, a bad car accident inadvertently put him on the road to a successful career in manufacturing.

“I fractured my femur in the accident and spent almost a year receiving medical attention at a rehabilitation centre in Melville,” Alan recalls.

“While I was there and permanently on crutches, I learnt to weld, building box trailers and standard lamps and various bits and pieces.”

Twelve months later when he was able to walk again Alan began applying for jobs requiring this new found skill, “got the sack several times which was a real wake-up call” and eventually ended up working for Gardiner Body Works.

“The boss could see a little bit of a spark in me and offered the opportunity to be a leading hand,” Alan said.

“I wanted to know how much more I would be paid and the conversation went backwards and forwards until

I agreed to accept on a trial period which, three months later when I had proved I could do the job, meant a $10 a week rise or something like that.

“That was the first opportunity I had to take some responsibility and I relished it. By that time I had a wife and a very young child and I was keen to succeed and provide a house and so on for my family.

“I was very ambitious and enrolled in night school studying motor vehicle engineering and design and power hydraulics to gain additional product knowledge,” Alan said. It was at Gardiners that Alan met and befriended Les Troughton, a design draftsman, and the two men would work together on weekends building box trailers and other bits and pieces on the side to make some additional money.

The rest, as they say, is history with the two becoming business partners in 1973 and starting the company which would become Haulmore Trailer Sales.

‘‘The heavy vehicle manufacturers in Western Australia and the people who operate the trucks and trailers are absolutely the best in the world – no doubt.

Alan Moody

Supply issues and manpower shortages continue to plague manufacturing industries and the transport industry is no different with brakes, axles and suspension components required to complete the manufacture in very short supply.

“We might order 18 brake kits and only receive two and even then we’re waiting 18 weeks for delivery,” Alan explained

However, he describes the current business climate as “spectacular” and the best it has ever been in 50 years. “I can’t take another order until after Christmas because we’re that busy, which is great unless you’re a customer wanting a trailer,” he said.

It wasn’t always that way. Alan, along with friend and fellow work colleague Les Troughton, established a trailer manufacturing business under the name Road Transport Engineering in 1972 “with next to nothing.”

“We worked very hard and built up a great reputation and in 1987 moved from Bayswater to a big site in Stirling

Crescent Hazelmere,” Alan explained.

“Soon after that move the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) hit and we went into voluntary liquidation and lost everything,” he says. “That was a very hard time but three years later, we had paid all the director’s guarantees, rebranded Haulmore and here we are today, more successful than ever.”

Alan’s rising from the ashes is testament to his “Challenges Accepted” motto.

“I’m lucky in as much as I have no reverse gear and I’m a very optimistic person so I just keep giving it a go despite any setbacks,” he says.

“I love a challenge and believe that you have to continually set goals and when you achieve that goal, you’ve got to look around for the next one because if you don’t have direction, you’re like a ship without a rudder and the world will decide where you’re going and what you’re going to do.

“A good attitude gets good results and a bad attitude gets bad results. It’s not

rocket science – it’s plain and simple logic,” Alan says.

This approach has been a great recipe for success and Alan takes great pride from continuing to deal with customers and suppliers he has called friends for almost 50 years.

“Integrity is very important to me and I love doing business with the people who share the same values and passion for the industry that I have,” he says.

Now aged 79, Alan is in no mood to retire, questioning what he would do with his time when his first love is the business and the last thing he wants to do is play golf.

“I don’t come to work for the money,” he says. “I do it because I love it. I love it in my head and I love it in my heart and I feel good about what I do and the service I offer to my clients.

“The fact it also puts a dollar in my pocket is great, but that really is at the bottom of the list,” Alan says.

The current business climate is spectacular and the best it has ever been in 50 years. I can’t take another order until after Christmas because we’re that busy, which is great unless you’re a customer wanting a trailer.

Light at end of tunnel in gcM upgrade saga

The MTA WA WA’s persistent advocacy for the Department of Transport WA (DoT) to implement an accountable, engineering-based process to upgrade the Gross Combination Mass (GCM) of in-service vehicles has finally overcome years of bureaucratic inertia and stirred positive action.

GCM is the maximum allowed combined mass of a loaded vehicle and any caravan/trailer it is towing. The GCM of a vehicle is nominated by the manufacturer at the time of first registration. In almost every other Australian state, government regulators have a process to allow owners to make engineered modifications to a vehicle that increases the maximum allowable combined mass. Despite Western Australian legislation providing a pathway for DoT to also consider GCM applications, the Department has refused to accept them since December 2018.

In light of the post-COVID upsurge in domestic tourism –and especially caravanning – the MTA WA stepped up its advocacy

MTA drives action on odometer tampering

The MTA WA has responded to member reports of a recent escalation in cases of odometer tampering by reaching out to government with suggested solutions and requests for collaborative action.

One of our relatively simple and very practical suggestions to mitigate the crime is for the Department of Transport WA (DoT) to show online the odometer reading recorded at the last sale. This would allow buyers (including dealers) to immediately confirm tampering if the current kilometres are less than a previously published number.

Calls for Code of Practice update

vehicle Standards Bulletin 14 (VSB 14) provides the National Codes of Practice (NCOP) to help guide State and Territory regulators, industry and consumers when assessing light vehicle modifications and individually constructed light vehicles. Largely led by government, the overall VSB initiative has traditionally enjoyed strong support from industry. However, despite VSB 14 being published as a ‘live’ document that would be revised and updated, many State and Territory regulators are going it alone because Codes of Practice have failed to keep up with change. Indeed, all but one of the bulletins are still on version 2.0 and date back to 2011.

The WA Department of Transport is one of the few regulators that has tried to stick with VSB 14 NCOP but, unfortunately, that has proven to be a distinct disadvantage to industry because what is accepted in Queensland, NSW or Victoria is not correct in WA.

An example is the NCOP11 Section LS Suspension and Steering V2.1 15 which, despite being dated November 2015, is the most recently updated Code of Practice in the entire VSB 14 document.

NCOP11 states a modification such as a vehicle ride

increase above 50mm will require engineering and approval from the State regulator. The majority of Australian transport regulators have already moved beyond this and are currently accepting up to 75mm height increases without approval or engineering (some conditions apply).

For the other States, the move away from the code makes sense and allows the modifier to combine an increase in tyre size and up to 50mm suspension lift without approval or engineering evidence.

While acknowledging that the Department of Transport WA has chaired previous NCOP reviews, the MTA WA has called on the Department to support a review of all the NCOPs. MTA WA asserts that every such review must engage broadly, especially with industry associations, to provide insights into real-world applications and impacts. This is essential to ensure updated Codes of Practice are fit for purpose and adopted by the majority of State and Territory regulators, and ideally by all.

The ongoing failure to maintain modern standards that are supported by both industry and government leads to cross-border issues that are costly and confusing at best and, at worst, potentially dangerous.

for the DoT to urgently address the anomaly. Notwithstanding the ongoing disadvantage to WA motorists and industry, the MTA WA had grave concerns that without a process to upgrade GCM, the significant increase in towed loads could lead to a corresponding increase in road safety and compliance risks.

It is critical to understand that the MTA WA’s primary concern is not the lack of GCM upgrades per se, but the absence of a transparent process to scientifically evaluate these important modifications, including a procedure for appeal for rejected applicants.

While it is unfortunate that so much time and energy has been required to prompt change, the MTA WA is pleased to report at least one of the test case applications is now being actively ‘reconsidered on its merits’.

We are therefore cautiously hopeful that the next edition of Engine Room will include confirmation of a scientific and accountable process that enables GCM upgrades to in-service vehicles.

Indeed, even if the current odometer reading is higher than a previous figure – but not as high as one might expect for the amount of time that has passed since the last sale – access to the historical number would act as a “red flag” to any potential buyer.

The MTA WA has also recommended a joint government-industry media campaign to promote the new tool and warn potential fraudsters. This would have the added benefit of increasing the uptake of online transfers which would inturn place less demand on DoT staff.

While we are proud to hold the view that it’s always better to attack a challenge armed with possible solutions like those above, we also know that many minds make for better outcomes. This is why we have collaborated with the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) Consumer Protection division in scheduling a roundtable discussion to bring together government departments and industry participants.

The roundtable is due to take place in early April and as always, the MTA WA will share outcomes and updates with members as soon as possible.

Featuring special guest Shane Jacobson

IF I COULD OWN ANy CAR...

‘‘I find this question difficult to answer because I need (want) about five different cars for different reasons. That said, if it had to be just one car (which in this feature is all I’m allowed), it would be the new 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse edition. Ford is one of the few manufacturers that is still building a vehicle with fun, value and performance in mind. I mean what manufacturer includes an Ebrake to assist with drifting and line-hold to warm up the back tyres – serious innovations that need to be applauded.

Recently I was fortunate enough to drive a 2018 Ford Mustang GT with a Magneride adaptive damping system, and looking down that long bonnet almost sitting on the back wheels was quite the feeling. The vehicle’s performance management system when put into ‘track mode’ makes the car feel like a go-kart

Graham Cawley

MTA WA Senior Division Manager

2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

and the engine response is instant – no turbo lag here, just pure old school horsepower.

In all honesty, I would love a 1967 fastback, modified by the officially licensed Eleanor Mustang factory in the USA, but that is just a dream. Owning this car, the 2024 GT Mustang, is achievable because it is a production vehicle and that’s why I want one. It is dangerous to want for something you cannot have as it will only lead to a feeling of disappointment or a divorce!

Whilst I understand the 10-speed automatic is quick and hard to pass up, mine would have to be a six-speed manual. This car features as standard an amazing sound system and an active valve exhaust system that plays the perfect melody to go with the power delivery … guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time in any gear.

The 2000 production of ‘Gone in 60 seconds’ with Nicolas Cage sealed the deal for me …. V8 power and sound, manual transmission driving through the rear

wheels, sideways most of the time is how you get a man in his 20s to pine for his very own Eleanor.

Now, in my late 40s, this vehicle is far from practical with two rear seats that no one would want to sit in and fuel economy figures that would make you want to cry. But all that said, I am due for my mid-life crisis and to answer that call it has to be something that will not be offered new forever. And with an electric low emission vehicle future ahead, now is the time for a V8 rear-wheel drive sports car.

Bringing super knowledge to you

Introducing new commissioner

Trish Blake has recently beeen appointed as Commissioner for Consumer Protection. Previously, she was the Director of Retail and Services at Consumer Protection and worked in the Legislation and Policy Directorate of Consumer Protection for more than 12 years.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish

Blake

New licence category for consignment selling in WA

Anew licence category (category E) in the Motor Vehicle Dealers (Licensing) Regulations 1974 will roll out from 1 March 2023 in Western Australia for dealers that are authorised to sell vehicles on consignment.

Consignment selling is the process by which a licensed motor vehicle dealer agrees to sell a vehicle on behalf of a member of the public. Once the vehicle is sold, the dealer pays the former owner the sale proceeds, less an agreed commission.

From 1 March 2023, the new category will assist with educating dealers on the different requirements that apply to consignment sales such as the requirement to open a trust account into which monies paid for a vehicle must be deposited.

Licence renewals will look a little different after 1 March 2023. By creating the new category for consignment selling, the condition on licences prohibiting consignment selling for dealers not authorised to sell on consignment will be removed. Going forward, the only dealers authorised to sell on consignment will be those

dealers that have category E on their licence.

It is important to note that the introduction of the new licence category does not change the existing obligations dealers have to consumers when selling on consignment.

The dealer training course is being updated to include more detailed information about the obligations that a dealer has when undertaking consignment vehicle sales on behalf of members of the public. This course must be successfully completed before applying for a dealer’s licence.

Dealers with an existing licence will not be required to complete the updated training. However, dealers are encouraged to visit the Consumer Protection website to refresh their knowledge of obligations and requirements when selling on consignment.

Dealers authorised to sell on consignment

You do not need to do anything to get category E added to your certificate and can continue to operate as normal. Your licence will continue to be valid

until expiry or renewal. If renewed, category E will automatically be added to your licence certificate.

Dealers not authorised to sell on consignment

You do not need to do anything and your existing licence remains valid. The condition prohibiting consignment selling remains in place.

If your licence is renewed, the condition prohibiting consignment selling will be removed. This does not mean you can start selling on consignment. Only dealers with category E will be authorised for consignment selling. Existing dealers not authorised to sell on consignment who want to apply to sell on consignment after 1 March 2023

You can apply for category E to be added to your licence using a new form from 1 March 2023 and will need to complete the dealer training course. The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety licensing team will arrange for the condition prohibiting consignment selling to be removed from your licence.

You will also be required to provide the Commissioner for Consumer Protection with information about your trust account and the name of your auditor. Contact Consumer Protection by calling 1300 30 40 54 with any questions about the changes. The new form and further information relating to the new category E licence category will be made available on the Consumer Protection website by 1 March 2023.

Trish is a great advocate for residential tenancies, scam prevention, human rights and product safety. Trish is a regular guest on ABC Perth’s Drive program, 6PR’s Perth Live program and often features in Consumer Protection television interviews.

Trish had primary responsibility for the review of, and amendments to, the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and the creation of the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020, which implemented the moratorium on rent increases and on some evictions.

The Legislation created the Residential Tenancies Mandatory Conciliation Service, designed to assist landlords and tenants resolve disputes during the emergency period. Trish assisted in establishing and managing for the first six months of its operation.

Prior to COVID, Trish’s other most notable achievement was the implementation of the Residential Tenancies Legislation Amendment (Family Violence) Act 2019, which amended the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 to provide people who have been subjected to family violence with more options and better outcomes in relation to their tenancy agreement.

Trish has a law degree and is admitted to practice in Western Australia. She also has a degree with Honours in Social Work and a Post Graduate qualification in Public Policy.

She has also taught as part of Murdoch University’s International Human Rights program for a number of years. This has involved taking a cohort of university students from across Australia to Geneva where students get to see first-hand the United Nations and various other bodies in action and where they learn how human rights laws are made and how they are enforced.

Prior to working for the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, Trish spent many years working in Community Legal Centres in WA.