What is auto?

1 April 2022

Hint: It's much more than car-making

Until 2017, when people – politicians and the media, mostly – talked of the ‘automotive industry’ they usually referred to car manufacturing.

This always irritated me a bit because manufacturing was never the largest part of the automotive industry; that has always been the aftermarket: vehicle sales, service and maintenance, body repair, fuel retailing, parts and consumables retailing, tyre retailing, and specialty services like engine reconditioning and vehicle recycling.

The aftermarket sector is what remains of Australia’s automotive industry. And lucky for us, it is in very good health.

Nationally, there are more than 70,000 automotive businesses, the industry employs 380,000 people, and this contributes $40 billion to Australia’s economy. In Tassie, there are 1,448 auto businesses employing 7,000 people and tipping in $630 million into the local economy.

Whichever way you look at it, auto is very important to this country, and this state. But none of this means much unless it’s important to you. 

Well, the auto industry keeps you on the road and the wheels of business turning. Without it Australia would stop.

Important enough?

From cradle to grave the auto industry is there: vehicle sales; servicing and repairs; batteries, windscreens, tyres, and fuel; and it’s there even when your vehicle has reached the end of its useful life and needs recycling.

TACC represents all these auto providers through its advocacy and support services, and its many initiatives to raise standards in the industry. That means, because TACC services its members, they are in a position to better service you.  

It’s how it all works and it’s TACC’s job to keep it that way.

Words: TACC State Manager, Bruce McIntosh. As featured in The Mercury Friday 1 April 2022.