Are you getting the most out of your Membership?
MTA WA members have access to a Commonwealth Bank Relationship Manager who can arrange for you to receive information on:
Everyday banking solutions including business accounts and eftpos terminals.
• For your eftpos – a Commonwealth Bank Relationship Manager can provide information on the Least Cost Routing options.^
•
• Funding options including Business Credit Cards, Car and Equipment Finance and Business Loans.
These solutions may help you manage cash flow and expand your business.
To find out how Commonwealth Bank can help your business move forward, contact MTA WA on 08 9233 9800 or email enquiries@mtawa.com.au and they'll put you in touch with a Commonwealth Bank Relationship Manager.
2024 AGM USHERS IN NEW ERA FOR MTA WA
With MTA WA Group CEO Stephen Moir
The Motor Trade Association of Western Australia (MTA WA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Royal Perth Yacht Club on November 19 with over 50 members in attendance.
In what is our 90th year of operation, this is one of the strongest turnouts in our history. Members were not only updated on the performance of their Association, but were also able to share a drink and mingle with other members and staff in what was a very enjoyable evening.
The MTA WA has come a long way since our inception in April 1934 when 22 service station operators got together to form the Western Australian Service Station Association with the aim of improving the trading
environment of the automotive industry.
Today the MTA WA is a multi-faceted business that spans membership, advocacy, employment services and training. The MTA WA now has more than 1,500 members, trains over 1,000 learners and employs 350 apprentices. The MTA WA is now, according to WA Business News, the fourth largest industry association in the State, responsible for the majority of industry training and the largest employer of light vehicle trainees and apprentices in Western Australia.
A good indicator of the success of the MTA WA is the fact that in 2019 the Association had a consolidated revenue of $13.3 million. In 2024 that had risen to $26 million.
Thank you Ray
Ray Mountney has been a Board Member of the MTA WA since 2014 and has held the position of President since 2018. Ray announced at the AGM that this would be his final meeting as both President and Board Member.
In his final address to members, Ray said that he was immensely proud of the work that the Board and the Management Team had done throughout his tenure as President as there had been significant challenges.
He said it had given him a great deal of satisfaction to witness many excellent outcomes coming to fruition.
Ray went on to say that the MTA WA is a great organisation, with great people and a great desire to deliver outstanding services and results for the betterment of not just our members, but the broader automotive industry.
He thanked members for allowing him to be President for the past five years and he wished everyone the very best for the future.
Ray is a champion, not only for motor vehicle dealers but for the broader automotive industry, and he has worked tirelessly to improve the trading conditions for business.
He has made numerous presentations to politicians, both at a State and Federal level, and members are very fortunate to have had an individual of Ray’s calibre as their President. Personally, I want to thank Ray for his dedication and friendship.
In 2019, we had 233 light vehicle apprentices in training while today that figure has grown to 833. The MTA WA now has over 52% of the light vehicle training market with the remainder being shared across the five state owned TAFEs.
The MTA WA now enjoys a very strong reputation both within the industry and across all forms of government as a creditable, quality driven association that works tirelessly for its members.
Substantial growth in the business has presented a number of challenges, and it is for that reason that the Board and Management Team continued their focus on driving a successful plan of action through the implementation of key initiatives identified in the MTA WA 2024-26 Strategic Plan.
The key priority over the year was to review and optimise the organisational structure to ensure we had the right people in the right roles to meet our
objectives effectively. Early in the reporting period, we implemented a revised structure and filled key positions accordingly.
Each business operating unit was tasked with developing a comprehensive business plan that clearly articulates key objectives and performance indicators and these have now been put in place and, importantly, are delivering results.
One of the key items of business that members considered at the AGM was the need to review the current Constitution of the Association.
The current Constitution, last amended in August 2019 to meet regulatory requirements, has not seen a comprehensive review for decades. Given recent legislative changes, the review was seen as necessary to ensure the Association was managed in the most compliant and effective way.
The most significant change was to
amend the structure of the Association to better reflect current corporate governance practice, including replacing the State Council with a Board of Directors (formerly known as the Board of Management).
Importantly, the core objects of the Association remain unchanged, as does its not-for-profit status.
This work on the business planning and structural improvements has laid a solid foundation for the Association’s continued success and it was pleasing that members voted unanimously to adopt the new constitution.
The timing of this could not be more appropriate as the industry enters a sustained period of change. Whether that is through the introduction of policies such as the National Vehicle Efficiency Standards or the emergence of new entrants to the new car market with advanced technologies, change will be the Association’s greatest challenge. It is imperative that we have an Association that can work closely with all tiers of Government to ensure that members’ interests are protected and promoted.
First female President
The Board of the MTA WA met on the day following the AGM to elect the office bearers for the next year and
MTA WA going green(er)
I am very pleased to be able to advise members that we have achieved yet another first for the industry with the election of our first female President.
Ms Jodi Kerr was elected as President and took over from Ray Mountney at this meeting.
Jodi comes to the position with both a strong commercial and governance background. She is currently a Director with the Shacks Automotive Group and Dealer Principal at Rockingham Mazda.
Jodi will be joined on the Board by the following members:
• Joe Giura, Westrans Vice President
• Moira D’Cruze,Wembley Autocare Treasurer
• Pat Browne, Pebco Automotive
• Robyn Cook, Peel Tyres
• Peter Coupland, Bowra Panel and Paint
• Garry Spouge, Modern Motor Trimmers
• Dr Irene Ioannakis, Independent Director
• Andrew Houghton, Independent Director
The MTA WA is fortunate to have such a diverse, qualified Board who will guide the Association through what will no
doubt be some challenging, but also rewarding times ahead.
The AGM is an excellent forum for members to come along and hear firsthand what their Association has achieved over the previous year. However, it is much more than just a meeting. The AGM has developed into a very enjoyable social event, and I would encourage all members to consider attending next year.
Major award
In yet another first, MTA WA Training was named Large Training Provider of the Year at the Western Australian Training Awards held in September. This is the first time in 30 years that an industry owned training provider has won this prestigious award, and it recognises our work in developing an industry leading approach to light vehicle automotive training.
Following on from this success, MTA WA Training was nominated as a finalist in the Australian Training Awards, with winners announced at a gala event in Canberra on December 6. Taking home the Large Training Provider bronze award against the likes of Charles Darwin University and TAFE South Australia is a major accomplishment for MTA WA Training and the team can be justifiably proud of what they have achieved.
The installation of nine electric vehicle chargers across three MTA WA sites in Balcatta and Maddington is the latest in a roll-out of green technologies by the Association designed to reduce its environmental impact.
The chargers are available for use by MTA WA staff and visitors and compliment the fact that the fleet of MTA WA vehicles is now either full electric or hybrid.
Describing the move as practical as well meeting industry and societal expectations, Mel Greenhow, General Manager of MTA WA Training, said “as an industry association we are very keen to lead the way in continuing to do what we can to offset emissions and be environmentally responsible.”
The MTA WA installed a roof solar panel system to provide electricity several years ago which has meant almost total self sufficiency during normal business hours.
Further to this, the MTA WA strives to meet best environmental practice in their training workshops.
“We have waste management systems in place to ensure recyclables are split from general waste, all fluids trapped in our drainage system go through an oil separator to ensure our waste water is compliant and all waste mechanical fluids are correctly disposed of,” Mel said.
Leading by example, the MTA WA also runs a Green Stamp program which encourages automotive businesses to meet set environmental standards.
The growth in our training program is nothing short of spectacular with over 830 apprentices now in training and 300 post trade qualifications being delivered. Being acknowledged as the best large training provider in the State is further evidence that our unique training model delivers great outcomes for both individuals and the industry as a whole.
And so, we come to the end of what can best be described as an interesting and tumultuous year. We’ve seen the continuation of unnecessary wars, future uncertainty despite some entertainment value with Trump returning as President, a fantastic showing by the Aussies at the Paris Olympics (but hopefully no more Raygun), a freed Assange and, hopefully, a recovering Monarch.
Despite assurances by the Prime Minister to the contrary, there has been no relief to the ever-rising cost of living, any relieving of the skill shortages or a meaningful solution to the housing crisis. Incredibly, Peter Dutton now has a chance of taking the top job if he can focus on the issues that matter to the majority of Australians. It is the big picture issues, not minority ones, that matter.
challenging and interesting year.
All the
best for the Festive Season
I want to wish all members, their families and our business partners the very best for the Festive Season.
I would like to thank members for your continued support over the past year and assure you that your MTA WA remains available to you whenever you need us.
I would also like to thank the staff at the MTA WA for their outstanding efforts in ensuring our members have access to the people and resources they need when required.
The team at the MTA WA look forward to being of service to you into the future.
Best wishes to all.
Stephen Moir, Group CEO
Major WA training award win
The MTA WA has been named the WA Large Training Provider of the Year – the State’s highest training accolade and the first time in the 30 year history of the WA Training Awards that a non-Government agency has taken out this honour.
The WA Training Awards, hosted by the Western Australian Department of Training and Workforce Development, recognise the outstanding achievements of apprentices, trainees, employers and, of course, training organisations. Mel Greenhow, General Manager of MTA WA Training, described the win as a significant achievement, particularly in light of the previous 29 years’ domination of the training sector award by publicly funded TAFE colleges.
“This award acknowledges the hard work put in by the MTA WA in developing a unique training model that delivers great outcomes for both individuals and the industry as a whole,” Mel said.
The judging panel were particularly impressed by the MTA WA’s blended delivery model which includes short blocks of three days in the classroom five times a year, complimented by MTA WA assessors visiting workplaces and mentoring apprentices every four to six weeks.
This approach means apprentices are spending more time learning on the job rather than sitting in the classroom.
Following on from the training blocks, learners are visited regularly in their workplace by MTA WA trainers where real-world assessments are carried out, maximising learning efficiency and minimising ‘off-the-job’ interruptions for employers.
“We began the process of restructuring our training program in 2016 with the objective of better integrating with industry to ensure that their needs were being met,” Mel said.
“We believe it is important to have off-site training where apprentices get to meet and learn with other apprentices and potentially build life-long relationships.
“However, the fact we also take our training out into the
industry is a big reason we excel over other providers because we are able to engage with managers as well as mentoring apprentices one-on-one in their workplace.
“We are working with apprentices, host employers and, importantly, manufacturers which ensures the best outcomes for all parties,” Mel explained.
Working out of two training facilities in Balcatta and Maddington, the MTA WA now trains almost half of all light vehicle apprentices in Western Australia.
“We have approximately 900 training contracts and if you include the post-trade and pre-apprenticeship learners, the number of people utilising MTA WA training is close to 1,400 – an huge increase from the 189 apprentices we had enrolled in 2016,” Mel said.
Strong support from manufacturers including Hyundai, Kia, Ineos and Toyota continues to be another reason that MTA WA Training has been recognised as the premier and preferred provider for light vehicle training in Western Australia.
“We have a number of fantastic up-to-date training vehicles and recent notable donations have included an Ineos Grenadier four-wheel-drive and Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV, which has been sectioned to allow learners full access to a functioning EV system,” Mel said.
Additionally, clients that utilise MTA WA Training services continually offer valuable support by donating replaced components – in turn helping to keep training costs as low as possible.
“Our training program is future focussed and guided by industry to ensure we not only meet the requirements of today but that the next generation of technicians are suitably qualified for the automotive challenges ahead,” Mel said.
MTA WA Group CEO Stephen Moir (left), MTA WA Group Chief Finance and Operations Officer Rhona Varkevisser and General Manager of MTA WA Training Mel Greenhow pictured with the WA Large Training Provider of the Year Award.
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New MTAA CEO brings experience to bear
Matt Hobbs, new Chief Executive Officer of the Motor Trades Association of Australia, had only been in the job for three weeks when the Association he now fronts began its consultation with government regarding the proposed National Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) legislation.
As one of the most significant and complex issues to be faced by the industry in recent times, the changes proposed by the MTAA – and subsequently implemented by the Government – was an early illustration to Matt of the Association’s very high standing.
“One of the things that has really stood out to me since taking on the role is that the voice of the MTAA and the State MTAs is continually getting louder,” Matt said.
And with nearly 15,000 member businesses across Australia, Matt says that opening doors shouldn’t be a problem – “the important thing is what you do when you open the doors.”
“Our membership touches just about every aspect of the automotive industry – from buying and selling cars, to repairs to crushing at end of life – so in terms of what we cover, I would suggest we are the broadest automotive association engaging nationally,” Matt points out.
“Every other group or association is territorial specific as opposed to representing the industry as a whole and I think that broader perspective is very important when it comes to talking to people in Canberra about our concerns.”
Matt took over the helm at the MTAA in mid-January this year following several years as policy and advocacy director at the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
He has also held senior executive
roles with General Motors Holden, and General Motors and Nissan Motors internationally.
“In my previous roles I was essentially representing the car companies’ interests whereas now everyone from the new car dealer through to the end of life vehicle recycler fall within our remit,” Matt said.
Pointing out that part of the role of the MTAA was also to work with other industry bodies to ensure a clear and coherent message was delivered to government, Matt said his previous experience with OEM’s was very helpful in finding an appropriate and balanced voice.
“For example, with the NVES lobbying we joined forces with the Australian Automotive Dealers Association,” Matt said.
“By putting together an evidence based campaign – which included bringing out to Australia a highly respected US fuel efficiency expert, Barbara Kiss – we were able to get the government to stop and listen.
“Outlining the problems as seen by industry and providing solutions that were implementable meant we were able to gain some really tangible improvements to the NVES that I don’t think would have happened without this approach,” Matt said.
The raft of revisions included $60million to help fund electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at workshops and dealerships and a $50million commitment to fund EV training facilities.
However, as Matt is keen to point out, the Association is much more than just an advocacy body.
“While we do incredibly important work representing the interests of members to government, the State MTAs are also chambers of commerce,” Matt explains.
“By providing advice to members on everything from workplace relations and occupational health and safety to helping with legal issues, the MTAs are a vital resource for members to help resolve their specific issues.
“Being so involved with the needs of businesses is a big point of difference between us and other industry bodies and I think this brings a lot of integrity to the conversations we have with government,” Matt said.
He is keen to utilise the unique insights of business owners to promote the needs of the industry as a whole.
“A key way we are now telling our story is bringing individual business owners with us when talking with government which in turn brings a further degree of credibility to the table,” Matt said.
“For example, in early November Stephen Moir, MTA WA Group CEO, joined us in Canberra and, together with members from around the country, we sat down with eight different key politicians to discuss many of the issues that matter to members.
“That engagement is critical for you can find yourself slightly divorced from what really matters unless there’s that touch point with the business owners and this ensures that the voice of members continues to be heard clearly.
“Tapping into the 15,000 member businesses and the people who work for them to ensure we are having the right conversations and achieving their goals is key for me as CEO of the MTAA,” Matt said.
When addressing what attracted him to the position of MTAA CEO, Matt
New Motor Trades Association of Australia Chief Executive Officer Matt Hobbs (right) pictured with MTA WA Group CEO Stephen Moir at the recent Western Australian annual general meeting.
explained that he “likes cars but I especially like doing the hard stuff.”
“What I really enjoy is engaging with people to learn about the issues that need to be addressed and then consolidating that information to craft campaigns and policies that will get results,” he said.
“It’s an exciting time to be in the job but the current pace of change in the industry is phenomenal.
“We know that the new car landscape is going to look very different in the next five to 10 years and we’re going to have to help dealers and the industry in general navigate the transition to a much greater number of EVs coming to market,” Matt said.
Referencing the National Vehicle Efficiency Standards, he outlined that one of the MTAA’s most
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Tapping into the 15,000 member businesses and the people who work for them to ensure we are having the right conversations and achieving their goals is key for me as CEO of the MTAA.
Matt Hobbs, new Chief Executive Officer, Motor Trades Association of Australia
important roles would be ensuring the government didn’t just ‘supercharge’ the EV landscape but continued to evaluate and consult.
“We are telling government you can’t just set and forget,” Matt said. “There are so many factors at play here including franchising, skill shortages, improving charging infrastructure, end of life battery recycling and tyre stewardship.
“The policy debates we are having now are transformational for the industry and at the end of the day if we get this right, both consumers and businesses are going to get the benefit,” Matt said.
INDUSTRY MATTERS
With Luke Rowe, Membership Service Manager
Ensuring safe and sustainable off-road motorcycle areas
Post-COVID, motorcycle sales have gone from strength to strength. Off-road machinery now represents more than 50 percent of sales in the two-wheel market – evidence that consumers are keen for adventure and exploration and don’t mind getting dirty.
The MTA WA has been monitoring the trend and initiated some early intervention strategies to ensure that members continue to benefit from the increased enthusiasm for off-road motorcycle riding.
With the increased sales of off-road motorcycles placing pressure on designated off-road vehicle areas, there is concern that future sales could suffer unless additional safe and sustainable sites are approved.
To this end, the MTA WA engaged the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries to nominate an appointment as a committee member of the Control of Vehicles (Off-road Areas) Act 1978 (ORV Committee).
The MTA WA together with the ORV committee has been exploring ways to increase awareness of permitted and
prohibited off-road vehicle areas as well as increasing funds to maintain and build new ORV areas.
The purpose of the ORV Committee, among other duties, is to advise the Minister, the Hon Hannah Beazley MLA, on applications to permit or prohibit ORV areas. Since the MTA WA’s involvement in the committee, there has been a
$4.8million grant announced for the development and improvement of ORV areas across WA. The MTA WA welcomes the initiative and looks forward to reviewing ORV area applications through the committee.
This money will only go so far and additional funds must be generated through ORV registrations. It is not well known that all ORV registration fees are directed back into a special purpose account for the development and improvement of off-road areas.
Along with MTA WA Membership Service Manager Melaine Pool, we held a meeting with the City of Wanneroo to discuss potential projects within the region and, in particular, the Pinjar ORV area. The City of Wanneroo has one of the largest automotive business precincts in the metropolitan area and we aim to promote automotive and other businesses within the City of Wanneroo through this collaboration.
Along with personally talking through the issues with many MTA WA members with a vested interest in motorcycles, we will hold an industry forum in February 2025 to gather industry views that will help guide future projects and policies for this sector.
The MTA WA and its members have a proven track record for helping government at all levels manage inappropriate behaviour from off-road 4WD and motorcycle enthusiasts. Recently we were invited to visit the Wandoo National Park Deefor wetlands to witness the regeneration of the wetland and surrounds following a massive effort from MTA WA 4WD group members that began in 2017.
This work provides a template for future projects and is evidence that industry and government can, and will, work together for the collective benefit. Thank you to Tony Rouphael for the invitation to visit Deefor wetlands.
MTA WA hits the road again
The Motor Trade Association of Western Australia recently visited Geraldton in the second of a series of planned trips to the regions. The visits are designed to connect and support our regional members and showcase the range of services available.
Held at the Geraldton Yacht Club, key MTA WA representatives who attended included Group CEO Stephen Moir, General Manager of Industry and Engagement Graham Cawley and Membership Service Managers Luke Rowe and Melanie Pool.
The team covered a range of topics from workplace relations to the business support services, recent policy outcomes and an overview of some of the current projects the MTA WA is working on.
Stephen Moir delivered the keynote speech, highlighting current trends and insights in the automotive landscape. Electric vehicles were one of the discussed topics, following predictions that more than 10 additional Chinese brands are expected to enter the Australian market in the coming years.
Association staff engaged with members after the presentation to discuss issues specific to the region and expand on policy initiatives. MTA WA business partners Commonwealth Bank discussed Cyber Security Risks for business and Spirit Super updated attendees on the merger to CareSuper.
The MTA WA is dedicated to building strong relationships with regional members and is currently planning more regional visits for 2025.
Transforming auto recycling
Approximately 850,000 vehicles in Australia reach their end-of-life each year, generating about 1.36 million tonnes of waste.
While approximately 70 percent is currently recycled, a significant amount of vehicle waste still ends up in landfill – a situation the Automotive Parts Recyclers Association of Australia (APRAA) and the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) wish to improve.
APRAA, the peak national association serving the auto parts recycling industry, recently held its annual conference on the Gold Coast, bringing industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders together to focus on improving car recycling methods in Australia.
A major highlight resulting from the conference was the growing support for an independent certification program which the APRAA believes will significantly transform the auto recycling industry.
A key take-away from the conference was the need for improving relationships between government, recyclers, insurers, e-commerce platforms such as eBay and technology providers to increase
efficiency within the industry.
This is a view shared by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the MTAA who recently released a joint report identifying ways to boost end-of-life vehicle recycling.
“Australia’s recycling and dismantling industry lags behind leading global economies and therefore we need all stakeholders to work together to modernise our current processes,” FCAI Chief Executive Officer Tony Weber said following the release of the report.
The APRAA Conference featured several prominent international speakers from the United States, who provided valuable insights into the latest trends and the new technologies reshaping the US recycling industry, including the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools.
However, while technology was a focal point at the conference, it must be combined with improved collaboration within the recycling sector in order for the industry to meet its environmental goals and for business to thrive.
MTA WA Membership Service Managers Luke Rowe (left) and Melanie Pool pictured with the new signage.
Taking MTA WA membership to the next level
The MTA WA Member Services team has a simple message for business owners – no matter how small you perceive an issue to be, make contact and allow the team to help with the resolution.
“We actually love hearing from members – even if it’s just as a sounding board or to get a different take on something,” says Luke Rowe, MTA WA Membership Services Manager.
“And every time we have that engagement with a member, we get a better understanding of their side of the industry and what matters in their world – which ultimately allows us to provide a better service to all members,” he said.
Along with Melanie Pool, Luke has recently been appointed to the newly created Member Services management team at the MTA WA.
With a mandate to help educate business owners to the wide array of services membership to the Association affords them, the team is also very keen to engage with members one-on-one to identify additional needs.
“Member engagement also allows us to discover specific concerns which we can then take to the next level,” Luke said.
A recent example of this is Luke and Melanie’s involvement in helping to secure a $4.8million grant to develop
additional recreational off-road vehicle areas throughout WA.
“Through consultation with our members in the motorcycle trade we knew there was a massive discrepancy between the number of off-road bikes being sold and the number of sites where they can actually be used in a safe, responsible and legal way,” Luke explained.
The team were subsequently successful in working with local and State authorities to begin the process of addressing this problem.
Luke says coming from a background in the automotive industry – most recently as brand manager for Fox motorcycle gear – has made it very easy for him to talk frankly to businesses and discover the salient issues facing members.
“After completing my apprenticeship in heavy duty plant equipment, I’ve worked in sales and management –particularly in the motorcycle industry – all my life and it’s been great reestablishing relationships with people I’ve known in the past while wearing a different hat,” Luke said.
Melanie, on the other hand, comes from a business development background and while the automotive space represents a new challenge, she brings a wealth of experience in developing programs to help and support business owners.
Meeting people face to face is allowing me to educate members on some of the additional services they may not have realised we provide such as practical workplace relations resource tools on the website or the exclusive offers from MTA WA partners.
Melanie Pool, Manager MTA WA Member Services
She explained that there are very tangible benefits to MTA WA membership that many in the industry were still unaware of such as unlimited phone to phone business support and access to legal advice.
“Everyone knows about the MTA WA apprentice employment and training, but there are so many facets to our service delivery that, unsurprisingly, a lot of members are not across everything that we do,” Melanie said.
“Meeting people face to face is allowing me to educate members on some of the additional services they may not have realised we provide such as practical workplace relations resource tools on the website or the exclusive offers from MTA WA partners.”
As well as hitting the road and connecting with members, Melanie is also very keen to build networking opportunities, particularly between women.
To this end the MTA WA will be holding a number of industry forums for women in the automotive sector – the first of which will be held in the first quarter of next year.
The initiative is designed to connect women working in the industry, discuss the issues currently being faced and to share ideas.
“Like all of the work we are currently doing, we very much want input from those in the industry to help guide our future direction,” Melanie said.
“From there we can develop programs and opportunities that support the growth of women in the automotive industry.”
Another important topic being discussed by the team is increasing consumer awareness of the MTA WA brand and what it represents.
“While the brand is very well respected within industry circles, we are looking at ways we can educate the general public and improve their understanding of what we do for members and how that makes a member business better for the end customer,” said Luke.
“We want the general public to have an better perception that the MTA WA logo is a symbol of credibility and trustworthiness which, in turn, obviously brings additional benefits to our members.”
FURTHER INFO
Any individuals employed by Australian repairers or Registered Training Organisations. What information can be accessed?
Service schedules, service manuals, service bulletins, repair procedures, wiring diagrams, diagnostic hardware, software etc. Key, immobiliser and radio codes require VSP* status.
For further information on the upcoming Women in Automotive industry forums, please contact Melaine.
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Technician, Collision repairers, locksmiths* RTO trainers (service manuals, repair procedures, TSBs, diagnostics etc.)
The legislation covers vehicles (cars, SUVs, light commercial) from 1 January 2002 onwards.
Vehicle Security Professional* VSP (key, immobiliser codes etc.) Police certificate, business insurance required
Positive change in a (wo)man’s world
Despite over 30 years involvement in the automotive industry, Ange Joyce still finds herself having to occasionally explain to business managers she visits as part of her role as an MTA Training trainer and assessor that she is indeed a mechanic.
“I think the industry has always been quite welcoming to women but as a female you are constantly having to prove yourself,” Ange says.
“The frustration is that regardless of
gender or, for that matter, colour or sexual orientation, you’re there to do a job and that’s the only thing that should matter.”
It’s an attitude slowly being understood by an industry very much dominated by males with 13 women currently undertaking apprenticeships in various disciplines through MTA WA Training.
While this is a very pleasing trend, MTA WA Apprentice Employment Manager Stephen Spini, agrees that
there is still a lot of work to do to increase the opportunities for women looking to make a career in the automotive industry.
“We are still faced with ignorant comments from some business owners like ‘a woman will distract the other mechanics, they don’t have the strength or a workshop is no place for a female’,” Stephen said.
These are myths very quickly dispelled by fourth year light vehicle apprentice Aliesha Bennett.
“I’m here because I absolutely love what I do,” said Aliesha. “The fact that I am the only female working on the tools is just not an issue for the people I work with.”
While she has the full support from her host employer, Auto Masters in Balcatta, Aliesha says that her only experience of gender bias has been from customers “not wanting a woman touching my car.”
i First year apprentice Emma Palladino, currently placed at Northlands Automotive in Balcatta, has a similar story to tell, explaining that she was initially a little worried that gender bias would be prevalent in the workplace.
“Ultimately, things have worked out better than I probably expected as everyone has been so supportive and welcoming and the culture here is totally respectful and positive,” Emma said.
“The one time a customer made an inappropriate comment, my boss stepped in immediately.”
Emma and Aliesha began their automotive careers following periods of university study and working in alternative jobs. With those few years of increased maturity after leaving school, the attraction for both to join the automotive industry was the realisation that their true passion was working on cars.
As technicians, the two apprentices share a love of problem solving and the satisfaction that comes from finding the solution.
Potentially looking to a future position as an MTA WA trainer, Aliesha’s initial career path was to be teaching. Although she didn’t pursue this as her vocation, she is full of praise for the way MTA Training approaches teaching its apprentices.
Aliesha Bennett will complete her apprenticeship by mid 2025.
“The three day blocks are perfect for people like me who struggle a little bit with concentration in a classroom setting,” Aliesha said.
“As a very hands-on learner, I need to be doing not just watching and listening and the system whereby we are also doing a lot of training in the workplace in order to both learn and demonstrate our knowledge works incredibly well.
“Although I didn’t pursue a teaching degree, I have been so inspired by Ange at MTA WA Training that I am considering at some point in the future putting my two passions together and training other people to work on cars,” she said.
Having three female trainers also breaks down barriers with the male apprentices and can be of great benefit when it comes to imparting practical criticism.
“I’m very forward and I don’t sugar coat things when mistakes are made,” Ange says. “I think when that comes from a male to a fellow male, it may come across as arrogant whereas the students don’t view the criticism as domineering when it comes from a female.”
Along with developing the necessary mechanical skills, MTA WA Training is also supporting the 13 female apprentices to become more resilient.
“You’ve got to have a strong personality in order to deal with some of bias you’re likely to face from those who still harbour genderbased opinions about who should or shouldn’t be working as a technician,” said Ange.
“As women, however, it’s a very fine line because if you come across too strong, you’re a bitch and yet you can’t be seen as too weak because then you apparently can’t do the job.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by fellow MTA WA trainers and assessors Sarah Knipe and Bridget Bell when they explain the reality of being a female mechanic does involve becoming “a little more hardened.”
“You do kind of have to become one of the boys and push aside any personal politics sometimes because of the fact that this industry is so male dominated and if you don’t fit in, you will probably struggle a little,” Sarah said.
‘‘
We are still faced with ignorant comments from some business owners like ‘a woman will distract the other mechanics, they don’t have the strength or a workshop is no place for a female’. These myths need to be dispelled.
Stephen Spini,
MTA WA Apprentice Employment Manager
“I think attitudes are changing and as the number of women working on the tools increases, the stigma that females currently face will dissipate.”
Bridget, who has experienced both the light vehicle and heavy diesel side of the industry, is encouraged by the fact that there has been a noticeable shift in attitude toward recruitment based on talent, not gender
“The constant advancements we are seeing in the automotive industry almost on a daily basis requires a smarter breed of technician, be that male or female,” Bridget said.
“With talent becoming more important as the primary driver for recruitment, this change of focus is not only positive for females looking to become technicians, but for the industry as a whole.”
Aside from needing to increase wages
across the board for apprentice mechanics, Ange says the one thing that would help encourage more females into the industry is a change of attitude towards family commitments.
“We have one apprentice who has just come back from maternity leave and her employer was fantastic,” Ange said.
“However, I know of numerous other cases where female mechanics have essentially had to leave the industry because of the lack of flexibility provided by their employer regarding family commitments combined with the exorbitant cost of childcare.”
With the industry constantly dealing with a skills shortage, the need for more good apprentices, regardless of gender, has never been more pressing.
First year apprentice Emma Palladino, currently placed at Northlands Automotive in Balcatta, has discovered her true passion.
Worldskills gold award for apprentice Jacob
Third year light vehicle apprentice Jacob Whiteside is currently on a journey he could never have imagined when he chose to leave school at the end of Year 11.
“I really didn’t like school,” the now 20 year old said. “Books and learning in the classroom just didn’t work for me.”
However, working in an environment where new skills are developed in a practical, hands-on way has taken Jacob to a gold medal win in the Western Australian Perth North Regional Worldskills competition in the automotive mechanics division.
He will now represent Western Australia in the Worldskills Australia competition to be held in Brisbane next year.
Jacob’s ultimate goal is to win gold in Brisbane for a chance to represent Australia in the 2026 International Worldskills competition – an event held every two years with China the next host country.
Worldskills Australia has been providing the opportunity for young apprentices from all trades to test their skills and knowledge in a competitive environment for over 40 years.
Nominated by his employer Mycar Tyre and Auto Mandurah, Jacob said the competition was a great opportunity to confirm that he is excelling in his chosen field by benchmarking his skill level against his peers.
“In total, there were six of us competing in the automotive mechanics division with the competition held in front of an audience during the Careers Expo at the Perth Exhibition Centre in July,” Jacob said.
With five assessments covering all aspects of a vehicle, from suspension componentry through to electrical and cooling systems, competitors had 45 minutes to an hour per block to conduct fault finding, correction and safety checks.
Approaching the competition in the same manner he would a normal job in the workshop, Jacob said that the excellent training and mentoring he had received through the MTA WA and at Mycar had ensured he felt confident to tackle the tasks presented in a methodical and timely manner.
“For example, the initial service diagnostic check would involve checking all systems on the car like indicators and lights and searching for any faults or problems that the customer should be made aware of such as leaks or worn parts,” he said.
“We were also tested on our ability to find and rectify faults and I made sure that my training in environmental procedures such as correct disposal of fluids and fume extraction was in evidence.”
Explaining his interest in the motor vehicle trades, Jacob said he had always had a love of cars but it was galvanised when he went to work on a farm for several months after leaving school.
“I just loved working on the machinery and fixing problems,” he said. “I love a challenge and this industry provides lots of opportunities to solve problems, particularly on the electrical side which is probably my favourite aspect.”
Jacob received his gold medal and a certificate recognising his achievement at a gala breakfast event held at the Crown Towers Ballroom in late November and is now undertaking extra training through the MTA WA as well as with his employer to ensure he is well prepared for the national competition.
“I’m very excited and very nervous all at the same time for it is a big honour to represent Western Australia, the MTA WA and Mycar,” Jacob said.
“I really want that gold medal around my neck in Brisbane and to be selected to show my skills in China in 2026 would be a dream come true.”
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WA co-driving specialist marks 16th Bathurst start
WWORDS: PAUL ROBERTS
estern Australian racing driver Dean Fiore loves Mount Panorama. With 16 Bathurst 1000 starts against his name along with many other appearances at the mountain in various other classes, Dean has completed hundreds of laps of the famed circuit.
“It’s something you never tire of – that place is so special to drive,” Dean says with the memory of his recent Bathurst 1000 co-drive appearance fresh in his mind.
“From the moment I first drove a Porsche GT3 Carrera Cup car there in 2006, it was like ‘wow this place is something else’. It captures your attention like no other
racetrack I have ever driven and even when you think you have it worked out, every year is a relearning exercise to get back into the groove.
“In my opinion it’s the best 6.2 kilometres of tarmac ever laid,” Dean says, echoing the sentiments of most of his peers.
Dean has had considerable success at Mount Panorama including winning all three Porsche Carrera Cup races in 2008, as well as numerous excellent results in the Bathurst 1000 (best finish of sixth in 2017 and 2020) and a number of podium finishes in the Bathurst 12 hour driving an Audi R8 in the Pro/Am class.
And while Dean Fiore might not be the first name that springs to mind when conversations turn to Bathurst legends, this Western Australian born and bred driver is a highly sought after co-driver for the V8 Supercar enduros held each year at Sandown and Bathurst.
For the third year in a row he was signed up by Brad Jones Racing for co-driving duties – this year partnered with young Supercar rookie Jaxon Evans in the SCT Logistics Chevrolet Camaro.
Recognised as an experienced motorsport mentor who brings people together “so that we are all rowing in the same direction”, as well as being a very fast steerer with an excellent record of keeping the car straight and clean, Dean is somewhat of a long distance race specialist.
“I pride myself in always trying to hand the car back to the primary driver, particularly during the race, without a scratch on it so they’ve got something to fight with,” Dean said following his 2024 Bathurst appearance.
“I also really enjoy coaxing a rookie like Jaxon through the whole process of an endurance race and helping to steer all those involved with the car towards a common goal.”
Unfortunately Dean was hampered by health issues leading into the race, resulting in a major problem physically in the last half hour of his two hour stint.
“Our car was super quick leading into the race – probably one of the best cars
I’ve driven – and I was really excited about our chances,” Dean said.
“I was on a drip in the week leading up to Bathurst but we knew the best strategy was for me to do a doublestint and unfortunately my body failed towards the end of that second stint.
“These Gen 3 Supercars are so physical to drive and in those last 12 laps I was in a world of pain with cramp in my right foot every time I hit the brake pedal,” Dean explained. “Disappointingly, we lost a fair bit of time towards the end of that stint.”
With the race being run in record time, combined with the fact that the Gen 3 Supercars are so evenly matched, the car made little headway with Jaxon driving, eventually finishing 20th after a very promising qualifying effort.
Karting passion
Dean’s love of racing and his natural speed in a race car has been present since his childhood days as a young kid growing up in the Goldfields with his two brothers.
“I initially played football as a youngster but with very little body weight, I was really getting hammered,” Dean said.
The family then got involved in the local karting scene and Dean took to racing like a duck to water.
“I just loved it and once I found that love and passion for karting every other sport just paled into insignificance and I became hellbent on trying to go as far as I could in motorsport” he said.
The next step was a move to Perth to continue his development with highly respected Wanneroo Raceway-based Formula Ford experts Fastlane Racing. The three brothers all raced with Fastlane, but it was Dean who showed the most interest and drive and he was crowned Western Australian Formula Ford Champion in both 2002 and 2003.
A tilt at the Australian Formula Ford Championship resulted in top five finishes in both 2004 and 2005 before he began competing in the Australian Porsche Carrera Cup series with Sonic Motorsport. Dean was runner-up in 2008 to one of the sport’s greats and four time championship winner Craig Baird, now driving standards observer for the Australian Supercars Championship.
“Craig was just so fast in those cars and is still a good friend today,” Dean
said. “He taught me so much in the early days of my professional racing career, both in terms of race craft and the all important commercial side.”
In 2009 Dean made the move to V8 Supercars with an embattled and financially stressed Team Kiwi. After only a couple of rounds, the New Zealand-based outfit ran out of money and that seemed like the end of the dream.
“It was at the height of the GFC and another smaller team had also recently gone broke,” Dean reflects.
“Everything came up for sale including the 2007 Lowndes-Whincup Bathurst winning Ford Falcon, the transporter and a massive amount of equipment and we did a deal, making half the money back straight away selling all of the stuff we didn’t need.”
Dean Fiore was runner-up in the 2008 Australian Porsche Carrera Cup.
Triple F Racing (the name reflecting the three Fiore brothers) was formed and while racing under their own banner was extremely challenging, it gave Dean the opportunity to showcase his skills in Australia’s premier series which ultimately lead to where he is today.
A very personable and engaging character, Dean credits much of his success to finding a good balance between focussing on getting results on-track while at the same time building relationships off-track.
“I was able to talk to people in the corporate world and managed to secure some backing to support my motorsport in those early days which is absolutely key,” he said.
“The hard bit is trying to secure that support but it does allow you to get to a certain level and, if you’re good enough, the rest takes care of itself.”
And while it would definitely appear that his career as an in-demand co-driver is assured, Dean, now 40, is very honest when he says it is getting harder each year to compete at the same level as the sport’s elite drivers.
“The kids coming through today – and they are kids – are very very good,” Dean reflects. “The way teams develop young talent is on a completely
different level today and they are so well prepared when they jump into a race car.
“Now they’ve all got trainers and nutritionists and so on. I remember talking to (former Supercars driver and Bathurst 1000 winner) Paul Morris a few years ago about training to which he replied ‘back in my day, training was not drinking the night before a race,” Dean says with a laugh.
The fact that Dean completes very few racing miles during the year, coupled with the fact that his family business interests limit the amount of time he can spend at the racetrack, makes his co-driving efforts all the more impressive.
“When I first stopped driving full-time about 10 years ago, I found I could jump into the car at the test days before the enduros and be more or less where I needed to be straight away,” he said.
“However, as the years go by, it is getting harder and if I am to co-drive again next year, I really believe it will have to be coupled with some sort of racing program leading into the enduros so I can get my race brain back into gear.”
Interestingly, Dean often drives the old 2007 Triple F Falcon the family
still owns to hone his skills prior to fulfilling his co-driver duties.
“It is in no way like a modern day Supercar but it’s actually really useful because the feeling is so raw and heightened,” Dean explained. “The brakes and steering are not quite so good as the new cars and running around Wanneroo Raceway with its low grip level is actually really useful to focus driving skills and get up to speed.”
Reflecting on his life today, Dean explained that he is now so busy with work and family commitments that when he is not at the track, racing is not often on his mind.
“However, as soon as I’m at a test day and starting an endurance campaign, I’m so aware of how much I miss it and how much I love it.
“It takes something special to drive a race car that I think ‘normal’ people just don’t have,” Dean says. “You take yourself out of your comfort zone to try and achieve something exceptional, extending and challenging yourself to pull off a maximum lap and that’s the bit I really love.”
Quite obviously Dean’s not quite ready to hang up the helmet just yet!
Dean Fiore has competed in the Bathurst 12 Hour race since 2022 in an Audi R8.
Racing epiphany for MTA WA comp winner
Despite growing up with Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne just 50 metres from his back door, Franz Moser, owner of GSA Engine and Transmission Service in O’Connor and winner of the MTA WA early membership renewal prize, never really found motorsport particularly interesting.
“That was back in days of the Torana XU1s and the GTHO Falcons in the early 1970s and I look back now with memories of hearing the cars racing around the track and wonder why it just didn’t mean much to me,” Franz said.
However, winning a trip for two to Bathurst for this year’s 1000 kilometre race has completely changed Franz’s opinion of motorsport.
“It was a truly magnificent experience from the moment we left to the moment we arrived back home – just awesome,” Franz exclaimed.
“Would I go to every race meeting? No. But now that I’ve had this experience, and having never been to a big event like the Bathurst 1000, I will definitely go again and would now also love to experience the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.”
The prize included flights for two people, accommodation, hire car, a scenic helicopter flight over the Mount Panorama circuit, tickets into the circuit on all days, tickets to the Legend’s Dinner and complimentary entry to the National Motor Racing Museum.
Sharing the trip of a lifetime with his son Hyatt, Franz was full of praise for
the faultless organisation and, when asked to pick a highlight, enthused that the entire trip was etched in his mind as a highlight.
“It was just great from start to finish – non stop entertainment and an amazing stimuli for the senses every second we were there,” he said.
“I was expecting the dinner to be a little boring but it was just magic hearing John Bowe and Garth Tander chatting like old mates, telling stories and cracking jokes.
“The helicopter ride was another awesome experience and that’s not to mention the cars.
“On the Friday we sat up on the bank just before The Chase at the end of Conrod Straight and to watch those V8 Supercars on the limit coming through that corner at close to 300kph and the sound they made was just phenomenal.
“And one of the aspects I loved is there are big screen TVs everywhere so you can watch all the action from
the telecast while being immersed in the sights and sounds of the racing as the cars roar past.
“I can’t thank the MTA WA enough for providing such a fantastic prize and if I’m honest I would love to be selfish and win again next year,” Franz said with a laugh.
Franz Moser (right) with his son Hyatt, pictured following their helicopter ride at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.
Local mechanic joins Canadian wildfire fight
Potential attacks from black bears and pack wolves, not to mention the risk posed by spontaneously combusting trees, became part of a normal working day for Rockingham-based mechanic Szy Lance during August this year.
A volunteer firefighter with the Kwinana Fire and Rescue Service, Szy was recently deployed to Canada for five weeks as part of an Australian team assisting with fighting the devastating wildfires that continue to affect that country.
The eye-opening once-in-a-lifetime experience has left the owner of Lance Mechanics in no doubt as to the importance of his “second” job.
A volunteer firefighter for seven years, Szy did not hesitate for a second when the request for expressions of interest to deploy to Canada appeared on his emergency services app in midJuly this year.
“We were a little bit quiet in the workshop and I knew that if another country was asking for overseas firefighters to help, it must be a critical situation,” Szy said.
“I spoke to my wife Nina and, knowing the sort of person I am, she immediately reassured me that the workshop would be fine and that the people in Canada needed me more than our clients in Rockingham.
“If I’m 100 percent honest, I cared less about what might happen with the business and more about the fact that my help was needed elsewhere.
“I won’t deny that was also a great sense of excitement that I was going to another country to fight fires,” he said.
Within a week and half of receiving that initial message, Szy was on a plane to Edmonton Canada – a gruelling 26 plus hour flight from Sydney – with 19 other Western Australian representatives. He returned in early September.
Wildfires have been burning in Canada for almost two years continuously, smouldering throughout the winter and reigniting with the warmer weather.
By early May, large wildfires had broken
out in many areas of the country and by mid July Canadian resources were at full capacity. With a prediction of significant increases in fire activity across Western Canada, a call was put out for international assistance. To date, more than 5.3 million hectares (13 million acres) have been affected by fire.
“When I first started researching what we were about to face, there were over 350 out of control fires and everyday this number was increasing,” Szy explained.
“While I never had any second thoughts about leaving, the sheer scale of what we were about to face was very confronting and I must confess that I have never witnessed fires this big.”
While Szy had no doubt in his mind that this was his calling, his 17-year-old son Mike was adamant that he did not want dad to risk his life which, Szy admits, was “very heartwarming.”
“I had to assure him that as international firefighters we would not be put in a situation where we were likely to be killed as the fall out from that would be enormous and that we were well-trained and we knew what we were doing,” Szy said.
Operating in the Western Canadian province of Alberta, long days began with transportation to a helipad before being airlifted, along with required equipment, close to the fireground where the team would be working.
Trekking through thick vegetation carrying a daily supply of food and water along with the hoses, pumps, fuel
WORDS: PAUL ROBERTS
drums, chainsaws, hand tools and other required equipment was a new experience.
“Working in totally uninhabited areas that are mostly inaccessible by vehicle meant that physically carrying all the required equipment was the only option,” Szy recalled.
The dangers presented by the sheer scale and unusual nature of the fire were always present.
“Unfortunately the day before we arrived, a young Canadian firefighter had been killed by a falling tree so the atmosphere was very sombre initially,” Szy said.
“And within a period of an hour and half on one particular day, I saved the lives of two colleagues and had my own life saved when trees unexpectedly fell and loud calls were made to jump either left or right to avoid being crushed,” he said.
Szy explained that the risk of falling trees was due to the unique nature of the Canadian fires.
“It’s hard to comprehend how fire can burn under the ground – and, unbelievably, under a thick layer of snow during winter – for years,” he said.
“However, these fires are smouldering and moving underneath the peat soil burning out the root ball and rendering the tree very unstable. If it’s dry enough, trees will suddenly self ignite because of that heat and then the fire just bounces from tree to tree.”
However, the risks were not always just fire related.
“Our first briefing, once we’d arrived at base camp, was essentially a Powerpoint presentation alerting us to approximately 15 different kinds of animals, particularly bears, that could possibly kill us,” Szy said with a laugh.
“We were warned that if a bear’s ears, which are about the same size as a human, were pointing towards you it was essentially game over.”
As part of their equipment, all the firefighters were issued with a small whistle – to be used should a bear be encountered.
“As big tough Australian firefighters, we all initially thought nothing of it … but when we saw all the locals wearing the whistle on their shoulder very close to their mouths, we figured there was probably a good reason for that and we should take heed,” Szy said.
It was actually a bear who created one of the enduring stories from the Australian deployment.
Breaking into a vehicle being used by a Queensland crew by opening an unlocked door when the car was stationed at a helipad, a juvenile bear was trapped when the rotor wash from the landing helicopter caused the door to shut.
“Becoming agitated, that bear made very light work of destroying seats, door trims and the dashboard so I would hate to imagine what it could do to human flesh,” Szy said.
The bear was set free when a senior officer smashed a window with an axe. “The funny thing was, that bear did a big poo in the back seat of the car so it’s obviously not true that bears only sh^t in the woods – they also sh^t in cars,” Szy said with a laugh.
The Western Australian team also came across two moose skulls, which Szy described as being “a scary experience” once the team were informed the find was very rare and was most likely the result of a wolf pack kill.
“That bought home the danger we were facing in being out in the middle of nowhere with only limited short wave radio coverage and the potential of wolves attacking,” Szy said.
Dangers aside, Szy said the overwhelming gratitude from the Canadian people was something else he would never forget.
“We got stopped at the airport multiple times from people wanting to shake our hands – and I mean every single one of us in the unit – to say thank you,” Szy said. “They were just so grateful that we were there to help.”
Working long 14-hour a day shifts over the five week deployment, Szy said he was mostly too busy to miss his family or worry about the business.
He did, however, make some major sacrifices in order to help with the Canadian disaster, including missing his son’s 17th birthday and another son’s buck’s night.
“The hardest one was my grandfather’s 100th birthday but he told me before I left that Canada needed me more than he needed me to celebrate reaching that milestone,” Szy said.
And despite not being around to run the business and work on the tools, Lance Mechanics, which employs two mechanics, two apprentices and two office support staff, including Szy’s wife, had a stellar month while Szy was away.
“I’ve got an amazing team and I can’t thank my second in charge Zac Mooij enough for ensuring everything ran like clockwork for the five weeks I was away,” Szy said.
“I couldn’t have done this without them and one of the revelations from this experience is that I am now 100 percent confident that when an emergency call comes in that I feel I need to attend, the workshop is in good hands while I’m helping.”
Szy Lance, owner Lance Mechanics and volunteer firefighter ‘‘
The warm fuzzy feeling you get from doing something really important that gives back to the community is the primary reason I volunteer as a firefighter.
Szy’s call for others to join brigade
Szy Lance (pictured with wife Nina) had always wanted to be a firefighter, but his application to join the service almost 30 years ago was rejected due to an asthma condition.
With that career choice knocked on the head, Szy built his reputation as a trusted motor mechanic, eventually establishing his own very successful business, Lance Mechanics, about eight years ago.
With a changing of criteria for firefighters, he was able to fulfil his initial ambition just over seven years ago when he joined the Kwinana Volunteer Fire Service.
“As volunteers, we do what we can when we can,” Szy said.
“I’ll be honest though – running a business and having family sporting commitments means that I can’t turn out as much as I would like.”
However, the passion that Szy displays when he talks about his “second” job is infectious and he is keen to promote the virtues of volunteering as a firefighter to everyone in the motor trades industry.
“It can be physically hard work but we’re mechanics so we’re all used to that,” he says.
“The warm fuzzy feeling you get from doing something really important that gives back to the community makes it so worthwhile.
“For me, that’s the primary reason I volunteer but there’s also the excitement and the adrenaline rush that comes with the nature of the job,” he says.
Szy doesn’t shy away from the less pleasant aspects of being
part of the emergency services, including having to attend fatal road accidents, but says the overwhelming sense of satisfaction from helping others in a potentially desperate situation is a feeling unlike any other.
He is also full of praise for the way the Department of Emergency Services supports the physical and mental health of its members – both career firefighters and those who volunteer.
“I’ve witnessed the absolute devastation on someone’s face when they’ve lost everything to a bush fire, but I also know that I’ve helped stop three other properties from burning to the ground at the same time and although there is sadness, you also experience great positive emotions,” he says.
Aside from his acts of total selflessness, one the greatest aspects for Szy is having met what he calls his ‘fire family’.
“I’ve probably got five mates in the Kwinana VFS who I would call brothers and I would do anything for them,” he says. “I know the feeling is mutual – some of the experiences we have shared have created a bond that can never be broken,” Szy said.
“People might consider firefighters to be heroes – particularly if we’re working all day and then fighting fires at nighttime – but personally I don’t think of myself in those terms.
“I just do what I do because I want to help people and I will continue to do it until I’m physically unable,” he said.
For more information on volunteering as a firefighter
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WA suspension specialist reaches milestone
WORDS AND PICS: PAUL ROBERTS
West Coast Suspensions (WCS) in Bassendean has ensured that its centenary will be remembered long after the end of 2024 by commissioning a huge mural to adorn the front of its premises.
Clearly visible to passing traffic, Managing Director Jim McCully explained that the mural reflected both the company’s origins as Jenkins Springs as well as the newer name by which it is known today.
Remarkably, the company has been in the hands of only two families for over a century.
William Jenkins began his involvement in the motor trades as a service station owner, trading out of the famous (and still standing today) Motor House on the corner of Wellington and Milligan Streets in Perth, sometime prior to 1924.
Establishing the Jenkins W.H. Spring and Axle Service Station, trading as Jenkins Springs, in 1924 he relocated the business to Adelaide Terrace Perth, manufacturing springs and repairing and aligning axles.
When William Jenkins passed away in June 1944, his wife Olive took over the
running of the business with the help of a young accountant, Jim McCully’s grandfather James. Having set up his practice in the building opposite Jenkins Springs after returning from WWII, James was instrumental in developing the company.
“I guess as the accountant, my grandfather saw the potential of the business and almost immediately bought a minor shareholding in Jenkins Springs,” Jim explained.
“When Olive retired sometime in the early 1950’s James and my grandmother purchased the remaining shares and, with the
Adelaide Terrace premises being compulsorily acquired by the City of Perth, they relocated to Bassendean,” he said.
The Railway Parade site is still home to West Coast Suspensions, but following a $4million upgrade in 2020 and the addition of extra warehousing space across additional sites, the company has certainly surpassed William Jenkins’ original vision.
The McCully family have always maintained the ownership of the business with Jim’s parents Don and Hester becoming the major shareholders in 1984 when the elder McCullys retired. It was at this point that the then 21-year-old Jim McCully took over the running of the company (see side story).
“With friends sending me postcards and polaroids from their surfing adventures in Bali, I contemplated quitting a couple of times, but ultimately I have enjoyed growing the business organically and taking it from what it was to where we are now,” Jim said.
Operations expanded substantially throughout the 1980s and by the mid 1990’s Jenkins Springs had become the largest spring maker and suspension provider in Western Australia following the purchase of Metro Baldock Springs.
However, a change was the on the horizon with the Australian suspension industry as a whole turning to importation rather than manufacturing.
“We’d been making our own coil and leaf springs using BHP steel but material was getting harder to source
‘‘Over the 100 year journey, we have gone from just being a spring manufacturer to now being recognised as a leading Australian suspension specialist.
Jim McCully, Managing Director West Coast Suspensions
as the Port Kembla and Whyalla plants were winding back production,”
Jim said.
“At peak production, we had a workforce of 60 blacksmiths and trade assistants but as those spring makers began retiring, along with the fact that we were now importing a lot more product, we eventually had to decommission our hot coil line and
scrap the old oil-fired furnace. This lead to the closing down of the former Metro Springs facility in Rivervale with the land and buildings sold in June 2007.
Following the development of a range of 4WD suspension products, a name change from Jenkins Springs was deemed necessary to reflect the changing direction of the business.
Managing Director of West Coast Suspensions Jim McCully has been with the company since he was 15.
“Expanding our range of after market 4WD suspension products, including shock absorbers designed to our own specifications so they would suit our heavy duty springs, really galvanised the fact that we were not just a spring manufacturer but a suspension specialist.”
As a consequence, Jenkins Springs was rebranded as West Coast Suspensions (WCS) in 1984.
Today, WCS has built a solid reputation for the manufacture and supply of suspension systems for the mining and road transport industries designed for the challenging and unique conditions found in the north-west.
The irony of being a supplier of heavy duty springs for mining company 4WD and truck fleets is not lost on Jim.
“I do find it quite amusing that it is Australian iron ore that is being dug up and sent overseas for us to buy back as springs and coils to then sell back to the likes of Fortescue and BHP so they can operate and dig more iron ore out of the ground to send overseas,” Jim said.
“I guess we are helping to complete the full circle.”
WCS also provides a modification and repair service, but the core business is the importation and supply of suspension components. Extensive warehousing facilities totalling over 4000m2 ensures supply is rarely an issue.
Today the business is split more or less 50/50 between the truck and heavy transport industry and the 4WD market, but the company also does GVM (gross vehicle mass) upgrades and custom work on classic and vintage cars. The Western Australian Railway Museum, located two minutes up the road, also occasionally requires the specialist talents of the few remaining blacksmiths.
As a former blacksmith himself, Jim does lament the passing of such a specialist trade but acknowledges that today a modern spring manufacturing facility is more about automation achieving very close tolerances and heat treatment control.
“We still stock spring steel and run furnaces, but unfortunately I think the days of offering this service are numbered as the interest in taking up a trade which requires you to work in front of a furnace pushing out over 1000°C is definitely declining,” he said.
Out of the (school) frying pan and into the furnace
Jim McCully was a fresh faced 15 year old school boy when he first joined the team of blacksmiths at Jenkins Springs in December 1978.
Offered the opportunity to leave Scotch College and start an apprenticeship with the business owned by his grandparents, Jim “couldn’t get out of school fast enough.”
“To be honest, I was pretty average at school – I just didn’t have the concentration span,” Jim said. The new environment he found himself in could not have been anymore different from the world he’d been used to at the private boy’s school.
“I was your typical innocent school boy but all of a sudden I’m in a foundry with men wearing overalls covered in sh^t who swear and smoke and drink at the pub every day after work,” Jim said.
“I remember the first day I was there, mum had made me a packed lunch just like she would have done if I were at school. After the ribbing I copped for that, I never brought in lunch again.
“Within three months, I had the pack of Winfield Reds up my sleeve, I could swear as well as any of the men in the foundry and I was down at the pub playing pool with my new mates,” Jim laughed.
Not surprisingly, maths suddenly became critical in Jim’s working life and actually made sense for the first time.
“At school, numbers on a page meant nothing to me but once I had to work
out quantities before cutting a piece of steel, there was actually a point to them and I was engaged,” he said.
At 21, Jim’s world was again turned on its head when he decided he’d had enough of working as a blacksmith.
“I told my father I was going to leave and go surfing in Bali, just like my mates were doing,” Jim explained.
“It turns out that dad had been waiting for me to announce my new plan and he in turn gave me an alternative – running the business now that my grandparents were ready to retire.
“I knew how to make springs but although I had no idea about how to run a business, I was up for the challenge.”
While his heart may have chosen surfing, his head chose the business. Studying commerce and business administration at night school after long days working on the tools, Jim again discovered a new found appreciation of the importance of maths.
“It was hard not to follow my mates who were surfing, but ultimately a lot of them just ended up nowhere and a couple unfortunately had their lives prematurely cut short by drug overdoses,” Jim said.
“On the other hand, by my late 20s I was able to afford overseas surfing trips to even more exotic and remote places than Bali so it was definitely worth waiting for.”
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Stunning RS2000 hits the road again
WORDS AND PICS:
PAUL ROBERTS
Back in the 1970s, the addition of initials to a Ford motorcar inferred a particular variation of model. GL trumped the lowly L version while the top of the range model might have worn a GXL badge.
However, in the world of old school performance car lore, few badges have instilled greater respect and reverence than that of Ford’s RS (Rallye Sport) sub-species.
The RS badge connected with a Blue Oval product promised excitement, motorsport kudos, and a few nice add on bits to set the car apart from the base model.
With an unparalleled motorsport pedigree, particularly in the world of rallying where Ford Escorts proved almost unbeatable throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, the two-door RS2000 was one of the coolest cars ‘normal’ money could buy.
With its unique droop-snoot nose and black rear bib spoiler, the road going RS2000 ticked all the boxes as the archetypal boy-racer machine.
Darryl Smith, proprietor of Carcare Joondalup, has owned this immaculate example, one of only 2,400 Australian RS2000s made, for over 12 years and its restoration has been a long labour of love.
“My first car in the UK was the absolute base model Mark 2 Escort 1100 Popular Plus,” Darryl said when explaining his love for Ford Escorts.
“It’s because of that car, and the memory of watching the television series The Professionals with Bodie and Doyle thrashing around in RS2000s and Ford Capris, that I have always hankered after one of these Escorts.
“I think it is just such a cool car,” Darryl said. It has also proved to be a very sound investment with good RS2000s now commanding over $50,000 – somewhat more
Darryl Smith, proprietor of Carcare Joondalup, with his Ford Escort RS2000 following an extensive nut and bolt restoration.
than the $6,000 they were when new.
Although he wasn’t really actively searching for one, this particular example, located in Canberra, was brought to Darryl’s attention and with very little hesitation, he purchased the car along with an “ugly duckling” white four door RS2000.
“The four door was sold almost immediately and even though I did get the two-door registered in WA, I just didn’t drive the car very much,” Darryl said.
“Perhaps it was always in my head that I would do a full nut and bolt restoration because I did take it off the road and began the very slow process of bringing the car up to the condition it is in today.”
Dictated by work pressures, the recommissioning has taken far longer than Darryl had envisaged and only very recently has he had the opportunity to drive the car again.
In the flesh, the Escort is stunning and an absolute credit to Darryl’s dedication and workmanship.
While the car is essentially as it came out of the factory, he has incorporated a couple of practical improvements, including a five speed gearbox out of a Ford Sierra, extractors to allow the car to breath a little better and relocating the battery to the boot.
Sitting on beautiful, period correct 13inch replica RS wheels, the Escort also features new carpets, headlining and re-upholstered seats, along with Darryl’s reconfigured centre console to accommodate the slightly repositioned gear lever. The underside of the car is as immaculate as the main body.
Aficionados will pick up on the fact that the grill and the front and rear bumpers of the Escort have been painted in
gloss black instead of the correct matt – something that Darryl will be rectifying before the end of the year.
The RS2000 also has a stable mate –a cherry red ‘flat faced’ standard Mark 2 Escort which Darryl has owned for over 15 years.
“That car is painted and has had all its interior refurbished. Now that the blue car is finished I can crack on with the red one,” Darryl said, outlining that he has big plans to turn that Escort into a very fast road car with power coming from a turbocharged Ford Sierra Cosworth engine.
For the time being, however, Darryl is very happy with his RS2000 and is very keen drive the car as much as possible.
“I absolutely love it,” he said.
IF I COULD OWN ANY CAR...
‘‘I’ve always had a special connection to my 1986 Mercedes-Benz 380 SEC. It’s not just any car to me—it’s a piece of my childhood and a project that’s been calling out for restoration for far too long.
This car belonged to my mother and I grew up in it, spending countless hours on the road with her. Every day, I would be driven from the hills outside of Melbourne into the city for school and the discussions we had about politics are a big reason I ended up doing what I do today.
In my opinion, the 380 SEC is a classic. Its V8 engine, smooth lines and luxurious interior – complete with the extending seatbelt presenter arm –still instil a feeling of innovation, even though it’s been through many years of use.
At the time, Australia had effective tariff rates of 104%, so it was rare to see another one on the road. It’s a two-door coupé and, to my knowledge, the first time that Mercedes made a coupé version derived from an S-Class chassis.
There’s something about the way the design has held up over the decades that makes it still feel special today. Sure, it might show its age now—paint peeling in places, the leather upholstery worn, and the wood trim needing extensive repair—but the spirit of the car is still there. It still runs and passes its annual rego inspection.
One of the things that always
Matt
Hobbs Chief Executive Officer, Motor Trades Association of Australia
1986 Mercedes-Benz 380 SEC
stood out to me with this car was the feeling that it just felt special. It was the essence of fine engineering, not just a mode of transportation. The 380 SEC has this subtle but undeniable presence—quiet, smooth, but with power lurking under the hood, waiting to make its mark.
The V8 engine, though not the most flashy by today’s standards, was the perfect balance of performance and smoothness. It wasn’t aggressive like some of the modern sports cars, but rather it had a reserved elegance and dignity. I learned to drive in the car and, I admit, enjoyed its responsiveness through those corners in the hills.
Another part of my attachment to this particular car are the memories of conversations. My mother loved to discuss the news, and I can remember talking politics for hours as we drove into the city while listening to the news on the radio. We would discuss the current affairs that dominated the day—ultra-high interest rates, Hawke and Keating’s battle to be PM and so on. The car itself was a place of connection—physically,
because of the long hours together, and emotionally, as we formed those lasting memories that I still carry with me.
But as much as I remember the good times, the Mercedes is also a reminder that things change. My mother has long since passed and the car has been sitting for years, waiting to be restored. Time has taken its toll and while I hold on to it for sentimental reasons, I also know that it deserves better.
Restoring it is important to me—not only because
it’s a cool car, but because it represents something much deeper. It’s a project that I know will take time, money and space, so it is likely to be sometime down the track.
Bringing back the shine, fixing the mechanicals and getting the interior back to its luxurious feel is a challenge that is waiting for me.
But every time I sit in the car – even in its worn state – I can feel the essence of what it was and what I know it can be again.
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Trish Blake
Warmer weather means an increase in events such as agricultural field days and 4WD and camping expos. We know dealerships like to have a presence at these shows as it’s a great opportunity to reach consumers who are probably in the market to buy.
However, offering motor vehicles for sale at a site other than the authorised premises requires a Special Occasion Permit.
This temporary permit allows a dealer to trade for a short period of time at an event.
effectively unlicensed dealing.
Consumer Protection’s Automotive Compliance Officers may conduct sweeps at upcoming shows to check for compliance and may issue infringements to dealers who have not been granted a Special Occasion Permit to appear at the event.
Static displays, where a new vehicle is displayed for marketing purposes but where no dealership staff are present, do not require a Special Occasion Permit. These types of displays are usually seen in shopping centres.
An application should be received seven days prior to the event and must be accompanied by the prescribed fee. It is up to you to ensure you are covered by the permit. Operating without a Special Occasion Permit in place is
To access the application form, visit consumerprotection. wa.gov.au and search “Special Occasion Permit”. For more information on these permits, contact the Licensing Branch on 1300 30 40 64 or email cplicensing@demirs.wa.gov.au. Selling at an upcoming expo or show? Don’t forget
Big fines for two following odometer tampering
Odometer tampering is a dangerous practice that puts the community at risk while lining the pockets of those who engage in it at the expense of consumers they are ripping off.
It is not just private buyers who are the victims, second hand car dealers are preyed upon by these criminals as well. Consumer Protection had a recent win in the Courts against a pair of car sellers who rolled back the odometers on two vehicles by more than 200,000 kilometres each.
Zoran Zozoli, a licensed motor vehicle salesperson from Alexander Heights, and Nikola Jarkovacki from Rivervale, were charged with altering and misrepresenting a vehicle’s odometer reading, in breach of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. Zozoli pleaded guilty and received a $21,000 fine, while Jarkovacki was convicted in his absence and fined $30,000 plus costs. The fines issued wiped out any financial gains made by the pair.
The court heard Zozoli purchased an Isuzu D-Max in 2021 that had travelled 350,686 kilometres. He altered the odometer reading to 138,000km by replacing the vehicle’s dashboard and instrument cluster. Two months later, Zozoli sold the vehicle without log-books for double what he paid, making a profit of $12,500.
Around the same time, Zozoli’s friend, Nikola Jarkovacki, bought a Jeep Cherokee with an odometer reading of 251,642km. Within five months, he had replaced the licence plate and tampered with the odometer to show a reading of only 46,739km. He then sold it, without log-books and signed a Form S070 Seller’s Declaration to Dealer containing the altered odometer reading – at a $24,500 profit.
This conduct is especially shocking coming from a licensed
salesperson, as such actions erode consumer confidence in the industry and undermine the credibility of the licensing system.
If your dealership buys second hand vehicles, there are a few simple checks which Consumer Protection recommends.
You may already be using the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) to check whether vehicles are stolen, written off or have money owing on them, but this database may also sometimes help reveal when vehicles have been subjected to odometer wind-back.
Selling vehicles without logbooks can be a deliberate tactic to hide the true mileage of a vehicle, so reconsider going through with the deal if a seller can’t provide this important documentation for you to cross check.
Another sign of odometer tampering includes inconsistencies between the condition of the vehicle and the odometer reading (for example, if the interior is worn, but the odometer reading is low).
Aside from misrepresenting a car’s value, if an odometer doesn’t reflect the number of kilometres a vehicle has actually travelled, the necessary checks, services and repairs may not be carried out at the required times, potentially leaving unsuspecting consumers exposed to mechanical and safety issues.
Given there are a number of ways of finding out the true history of vehicles, those who engage in this illegal conduct will quickly be caught out.
Suspected odometer tampering should be reported to Consumer Protection via the website, or by calling 1300 30 40 54 or emailing consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au
