Members of VACC’s Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers Association (FIMDA) are advised that VACC’s Industry Policy Advisor Mick McKenna has today been appointed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) as the Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers Association of Australia (FIMDAA) delegate on the ACCC’s Agriculture Consultative Committee (AgCC).
The appointment comes under the umbrella of the FIMDAA national sector group which is the peak body representing Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers in Australia. FIMDAA is a national industry sector group under the banner of the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA).
This is the first occasion an organisation from automotive retail has been appointed to the AgCC. It is a keystone moment in the reinvigoration of FIMDAA under the management of newly appointed MTAA CEO, Matt Hobbs.
About the AgCC
The AgCC was established by the ACCC to provide advice and information on issues affecting the Australian agricultural sector. It focuses on issues as identified affecting this sector under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (the Act).
The AgCC is a forum where competition and consumer law concerns can be considered. Under this guise FIMDAA members can expect movement relating to issues such as:
• Access to repair information with regards to Farm Machinery.
• Unfair contract terms that so dominate this sector.
• Australian Consumer Law issues and how it impacts FIMDA members and their customer base.
• Unfair treatment of Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers who act as franchisees or agents.
Who are members of the AgCC?
Members of the AgCC are drawn from a range of backgrounds and industries within the agriculture sector including peak bodies, industry associations, and industry advisors.
You can view the current membership of the AgCC here.
What members of the AgCC should advise ACCC on at AgCC meetings
Amongst the themes for FIMDAA to advise the ACCC upon are :
- processes affecting the agriculture sector that fall within the scope of the Act.
- emerging issues or market developments of concern to the agriculture sector.
- information dissemination strategies and appropriate networks available to enhance communication with the agriculture sector.
- other issues as requested by the ACCC.
VACC members of the Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers Association are encouraged to raise issues of national significance that affect the retail automotive agricultural sector to mmckenna@vacc.com.au