Driving change
As a motorist, you don’t see the volume of work that goes into ensuring all the boxes are ticked when it comes to your prize purchase. You shouldn’t have to. Part of an automotive professional’s responsibility – whether selling or repairing a vehicle – is to provide a seamless, stress-free service.
However, let me share one of the industry’s worst kept secrets – unfortunately, at the moment a lot of government red tape gets in the way. The result is a loss of time and money.
And let’s not forget, automotive has extensive connections with over 90 per cent of Australian industries, including strong linkages to road transport, construction, and mining – all dependent on our goods and services to sustain operations…
Revising key regulations will not only benefit those working in the industry – it will have a real impact on consumers too.
The retail sale, registration and repair of vehicles in Australia are made difficult by complex and inconsistent state-based legislation and regulation.
Industry and consumers face confusing and varied red-tape requirements when acquiring, transferring or repairing a vehicle in different jurisdictions.
Victorian-based automotive retailers are placed at a competitive disadvantage due to uncoordinated federal and state-based legislation.
In the era of the digital marketplace, regulation related to the retail automotive industry should be simplified.
This would create a level playing field across states and territories and reduce costs for consumers and automotive businesses.
The next Australian Government should:
- Eliminate areas of legislative conflict across jurisdictions
- Provide red-tape reduction taskforces with authority to address cross-jurisdictional inconsistencies in a measurable way – with annual reporting of achievements tabled at Parliament.
Read VACC's 2022 federal election manifesto REVolution: The automotive industry’s policy priorities for the next Australian Government.
Words: VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym.
Share your thoughts! E: ceo@vacc.com.au. As featured in the Herald Sun Friday 29 April 2022.