Motor Trader April 2014

APR 2014

RACING

AHEAD MARK WEBBER MOVES TO PORSCHE AND THE WEC

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MEMBERS CLASSIC: 1967 MAZDA COSMO SPORT

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MOTOR TRADES ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND

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Contents Official Publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland

Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/MTAQueensland

HEAD OFFICE Building 8, 2728 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 P.O. Box 4530, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 Tel: 07 3237 8777 Fax: 07 3844 4488 Toll Free: 1800 177 951 Email: publications@mtaq.com.au Website: www.mtaq.com.au EDITOR Jonathan Nash ART DIRECTOR Marco Ilinic INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Ted Kowalski Michelle Chadburn POLICY Kellie Dewar, General Manager MTA Queensland ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Emily Metelmann 07 3237 8784 Facsimile: 07 3844 4488 Email: emilys@mtaq.com.au

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EDITORIAL Editorial submissions are welcomed but cannot be guaranteed placement. For more information telephone the Editor 07 3237 8777

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SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including GST) Australia: $72.60 annually Overseas: $110 annually MOTOR TRADER PUBLISHING POLICY Motor Trader is the official publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland. The role of Motor Trader is to inform members of current issues and legislation affecting the industry. As such it can be regarded as the business magazine for the Queensland motor industry. The role of Motor Trader is not to be in competition with the technical magazines already on the market. It will advise of new vehicles being released and of the latest technology incorporated into them; it will advise of latest technology affecting members in each of the MTA Queensland Divisions; it will keep members abreast of the latest in motor industry training and industrial affairs; and it will keep members informed of the latest technical aids available through MTA Queensland Member Services, which will assist members in staying ahead of the technological revolution presently being encountered within the motor industry.

The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any advertisement and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities arising from the published material.

16 02 From the editor 04 Policy/Viewpoint 06 Divisional news 08 MTA Q&A GRANT AND ALLAN BATSON:

MTA QUEENSLAND ABN: 74 028 933 848 CORPORATE PARTNERS

UNDERWOOD CAR CARE CENTRE

Feature 10 MARK WEBBER: ON THE MOVE 15 News BEGINNING OF THE END FOR

20140144

DODGY CAR DEALERS

16 Members Classic MAZDA’S SUPERMODEL:

1967 MAZDA COSMO SPORT

18 MEMBERS ESSENTIALS 20 Training matters 22 Industrial relations 23 Charity matters 26 Member profiles 30 Investment matters

MARKET WRAP

31 Code of ethics

ETHICAL PRACTICE THE CODE TO SUCCESS

32 Industry insight

GROWING SALES, PROFIT, AND CASH April 2014 Motor Trader | 1

From the editor

JONATHAN NASH EDITOR

H

ELLO AND WELCOME to the April edition of Motor Trader.

It has been a big few months for Australian racing driver Mark Webber.

After retiring from Formula One at the end of 2013 after a decade as one of the sport's top competitors, Mark starts a new chapter in his racing career at the end of April when he takes his spot in the Porsche team for the World Endurance Championship's (WEC) opening event at Silverstone in the UK. The WEC season includes the Le Mans 24 hour classic. You may remember the 1999 edition of the race during which Mark suffered a spectacular crash from whuch he was lucky to escape unscathed.

From page 10, MT talks to Mark about his past in Formula One, how he got where he is today and his future in the WEC. In Members Classic this month we talk to Danny Irvine of MTAQ

member Automotive Plus.

To say that Danny has a passion for Mazda is a bit of an understatement.

Owner of possibly the largest collection of classic Mazdas in the country, we were spoilt for choice as to which of his cars we should cover for this month's Members Classic. In the end we went for a stunning 1967 L10A Cosmo Sport which you can see on page 16. However, we will return to Danny's treasure trove of cars in the future to take a look at the collection as a whole.

This month we continue to look at MTAQ members who spare their time and their skills for charitable endeavours. In this edition we talk to Steve Kamerling from Kamson Mechanical who is taking part in an epic trip across the country - and through its desolate centre - with The Great Australian Ride, raising money for Qld Sids and Kids.

We also talk to Michael Kennedy from Brisbane Motor Auctions who has a long history with the Endeavour Foundation and its annual event The Queensland Great Endeavour Rally.

The Rally is a nine-day bash through Queensland's outback but Michael and his team go beyond just participation - amongst other things they supply a mobile workshop team that travels with the convoy helping everyone get their vehicles through the grueling event.

This year, Michael and Brisbane Motor Auctions are offering a lucky light vehicle mechanical apprentice the opportunity to win a spot on the mobile workshop team.

WIN A PLACE ON THE 2014 QLD GREAT ENDEAVOUR RALLY'S MOBILE WORKSHOP TEAM AND TAKE PART IN THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. SEE PAGE 25 FOR DETAILS

2 | Motor Trader April 2014

It's a fantastic opportunity to have fun and learn while you're at it. Go to page 25 for details of the competition.

In our MTA Q&A feature we sit down with Allan and Grant Batson from Underwood Car Care Centre.

Four generations of the Batson family have been involved in the automotive trade over nearly a century and Allan has some interesting observations to share on the industry.

Also this month we talk to MTAQ's Technical Adviser and Stationery Manager Russell Sticklen, who has reached the 20 year mark with the Association.

As always, we will continue to endeavour to bring you news and insight into the automotive industry, the most up-to-date information regarding training opportunities, and highlight members interests.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Motor Trader, and if you have a story you think is worth telling, want to appear in Member Profiles or have a classic car, motorbike or truck you would like to see featured, then please do contact me.

Cheers,

Jonathan Nash jonathann@mtaq.com.au

INSTITUTE OF T EC H N O L O G Y

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Recognition of work or training (trade recognition) allows people to gain a certificate of recognition in Queensland in an apprenticeship trade, where: • A formal apprenticeship has not been completed • An apprenticeship or trade training has been completed overseas

auStralian reSidencY criteria 1. Are you an Australian or New Zealand citizen?

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courSe lenGth Once an application has been received with all supporting documentation, MTA Institute of Technology will assess and respond within 10 working days.

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20130128

MTA InsTITuTe of Technology

Policy/Viewpoint

KELLIE DEWAR GENERAL MANAGER MTA QUEENSLAND

I

HAD HOPED - so very much - to report to you that that the Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Bill (the Bill) had been passed by Parliament and gazetted. As I prepare this Viewpoint it remains prominently on the Notice Paper to be debated.

Yes, we have to wait a little longer!

I’m meeting with the Office of Fair Trading on other matters. I expect the Officers may consult on proposed changes to licensing or other forms as a consequence of the new legislation.

I’ll certainly be asking when the Bill is likely to be debated.

NEW MOTOR VEHICLE SALES

Statistically, it was a slow month for new motor vehicle sales. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data indicates that compared with the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis new motor vehicle sales were down by 431 units or 1.4 per cent.

Nationally, there was a small increase of 0.1 per cent boosted by a 4.1 per cent increase in Western Australia.

On a trend basis for Queensland, compared with the previous month, there was a small increase of 197 units or 0.2 per cent. Nationally there was a decrease of 0.3 per cent with declines in all jurisdictions excepting New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

Compared with the previous year on a seasonally adjusted basis for Queensland, the decline was -5.2 per cent or 900 units. On a trend basis, 4 | Motor Trader April 2014

Queensland was down 867 units or 3.1 per cent. Compared with the previous year, nationally there was a seasonally adjusted and trend decline of 3.5 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively.

The respected Federation Chamber of Automotive Industries VFACTS revealed that nationally there was a sharp decline in the light commercial segment indicative of the slowdown in mining and manufacturing uncertainty.

On a positive note, passenger car sales remained steady. The VFACTS analysis indicated that “Australian consumers purchased 17.4 per cent more large passenger cars than in February 2013. They also bought 5.2 per cent more small passenger cars and 3.1 per cent more medium passenger cars.”

Interestingly, the ABS research indicates that the sports utility vehicle has become the vehicle of choice for Australian families.

AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE (ATO) SMALL BUSINESS PANEL

There is one consistent quiet grumble I hear from members and that is the time spent in complying with governmental or taxation obligations. Here is the opportunity for you to have a say - a real say where it matters. The ATO is seeking small business owners to apply to join its new small business consultation panel to help cut red tape and boost the agency’s small business expertise.

The ATO’s objective for the panel is to explore opportunities to reduce the time it takes for business operators to comply with their employer, superannuation and tax obligations. To be eligible, operators must have at least two years experience running a business and have a turnover of less than $2 million.

Business operators joining the panel may be contracted on a shortterm, as-needs basis to participate in consultation activities including workshops and user testing to provide feedback from a small business perspective. Successful applicants will be paid for their services.

To register your interest email smallbusinessconsultation@ato.gov.au to request an information and application pack, or download the

information from www.tenders.gov.au (search for ATM 14.008a).

THE ECONOMY

Interest rates are set to remain steady “for some time” according to the Reserve Bank Board minutes. At its March meeting, the cash rate of 2.5 per cent was unchanged.

The instructive sentence is “At recent meetings, the Board had judged that it was prudent to leave the cash rate unchanged, while noting the cash rote would remain at its current level for some time if the economy was to evolve broadly as expected.”

For our MTA Queensland members, this will provide the certainty on which to base business decisions at least until the end of the financial year.

The minutes went on to say “that there were further signs that low interest rates were providing support to activity, with improved economic conditions evident across a range of household and business indicators.”

Consumption, housing investment, business conditions and exports indicators were assessed “generally positive” but labour market and wages growth “subdued”. It remains concerned about the strength of the AUD which, as I prepare this Viewpoint is $A at US90.39¢.

RED TAPE REPEAL DAY

There seems to be a day for everything. Now there is the Australian Government “Red Tape Repeal Day”.

It was set down for Wednesday 26 March when the whole day was devoted to the repeal of redundant or burdensome red tape. This follows on from the 19th March introduction into the House of Representatives the legislation that repeals more than 1000 Acts and almost 10,000 regulations.

One that some members have interest relates to the Personal Property and Securities Act regulation which was designed to protect hire firms. It held some contradictions. Hire firms that failed to register some hire agreements on the National Property Register ran the risk of losing the equipment if their client entered into liquidation.

The regulation required to place equipment hires of “serial numbered goods” mostly motor vehicles on the register. Under the repeal, hire agreements of more than 90 days will no longer be required to be put on the National Register.

The repeal regulation also will change the definition of what constitutes a motor vehicle which generally was construed to include all equipment used in road works from generators to trailers. A motor vehicle will be defined as anything capable of travelling at a speed of a least 10 km/h that also has a motor with total power greater than 200 watts.

A website has been set up which tracks the monetary value of the repeals. The last time I looked it was about $720 million. The aim is to cut $1 billion of red tape every year. That site is http://www.cuttingredtape.gov.au

RED TAPE REDUCTION - QUEENSLAND

Whilst on the subject of red tape reduction, the Queensland Government has introduced on-line tendering resources to help small and medium sized businesses tender to supply goods or services to the Queensland Government.

This means that - for the first time - there will be a level playing field for these businesses with larger enterprises.

The online tendering resources include: guides for developing competitive tender responses and the process of supplying to government; a “fit to supply” diagnostic tool to help businesses determine their supplier capability and a list of key resources to help enhance supplier capabilities; and a specialised search function for the “Q-Tender” database of government open tender opportunities.

This initiative is part of the Queensland Government’s policy to cut red tape and regulation by 20 per cent by 2018. Businesses can access the online tendering resources at www.business.qld.gov.au

DOB IN A BACKYARDER

MTA Queensland has launched a Dob in a backyard webpage to assist with the tracking down of unlicensed backyard dealers. This new imitative allows anyone to report unlicensed backyard dealers with the details referred to the

Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

As reported in the March issue of the Motor Trader, the OFT has put a focus on the unscrupulous activities of unlicensed backyard dealers and these remain - very much so - on their “radar”.

The concept of Dob in a backyard grew out member’s concerns and of our many representations to the OFT and Government about the non-compliance of unlicensed backyard operators that function outside the legislation and the Motor Dealers’ Code of Conduct.

Unlicensed vehicle dealers are a serious problem in the used car industry.

These operators create an uneven playing field for genuine dealers by avoiding the legal obligations including tax, stamp duty, record keeping and safety. They operate as private sellers and are thriving at the expense of dealers who observe the law. It is up to the industry to put them out of business.

If you suspect a backyarder is operating in your area, dob them in by filling out the form on the MTA Queensland webpage. I can assure members we’ll pass the details to the OFT for investigation. You can remain anonymous.

EMPLOYMENT LAW ADVICE

As an employer association, MTA Queensland prides itself on the comprehensive expert employment law advice provided to members. Members have immediate access to advice that suits their business purpose.

Our Industrial Relations Manager, Ted Kowalski, has a plaque on his desk that reminds him he has been with the Association for 30 years. The length of the service is a milestone in Ted’s professional life; yet more important is his long term and exceptional corporate knowledge of the application of employment law as it relates to members’ businesses.

Over the years, Ted has got to know members’ businesses and their needs.

For small enterprises starting out and needing employment law advice taxation, superannuation, termination, workers compensation, award rates etc. a gold mine of information and help is available - from Ted and his team.

The quality employment law advice provided by our Industrial Relations Team and the strong policy advocacy capabilities are sound reasons to be a member of the Motor Trades Association.

WEBINAR ADVICE

Whilst writing about the expert advice available from our Industrial Relations Team, my attention has been drawn to a Digital Learning Series to be run by the Queensland Government and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.

It is a free 10-part series of webinars to provide the “latest advice on maximising businesses social media and online impact” For businesses wanting to upgrade their skills in using social media, online marketing, and search engines to promote their businesses, the webinars provide the opportunity to do so.

Businesses can register for any of these webinar sessions and also access essential information and tools at www.business.qld.gov.au/events or www.cciq.com.au/events.

MEETINGS WITH REGIONAL MEMBERS

As promised in the March Viewpoint, the schedule of meetings in Central and North Queensland have been sorted. It is now final and I ask members to include the dates in their diaries (venues to be confirmed with the meeting notice). They are: • Rockhampton: 6th – 7th May (General Meeting to be held 6th May) • Cairns: 29th – 30th May (General Meeting to be held 29th May, New Car Dealers Tablelands Meeting to be held 30th May) • Mt Isa: 13th – 14th August (General Meeting to be held 13th August) • Mackay: 9th – 10th September (General Meeting to be held 9th September) • Emerald: 6th -7th October (General Meeting to be held on 6th October) • Townsville is to be scheduled in the last half of the year – (finalising the date).

I’m looking forward to speaking with members in their areas and gaining insight of their enterprise issues to enable your Association to advocate these to all levels of government.

EASTER WISHES

Easter will fall before I prepare the next Viewpoint. Happy Easter to each of you and please take care.

April 2014 Motor Trader | 5

Divisional news Ben Chesterfield ERAQ

It is great to be able to finally announce the confirmation of a combined ERAA and ERANZ conference to celebrate the joint 50th anniversary of the two nations.

This exciting event will be held in Surfers Paradise from 25-28 September this year.

An exhibition and machinery display is also being held in conjunction with the conference and will be a great opportunity to see what is new in the market.

The programme has been designed to bring both technical and business speakers into an intensive 3 days of sessions and events.

Registration, accommodation and website details will be available shortly through MTAQ.

AED

We have some great news for the long-suffering independent repairers within our association.

At a committee meeting last month we formed a sub-committee to deal with the ever-changing face of this industry.

We are embarking on a choice of repairer campaign so as to compete with the capped price-servicing model that is being offered through the dealer network.

We will be keeping all our members advised as to the progress with this exciting campaign.

We have also collated a lot of data in regards to the draft code of conduct re access to information and have sent it off to AMIF so they can formulate their response.

I will be sending out a newsletter in the near future in order to keep everyone up to date on these issues and also some other news that should be a benefit to the industry as a whole.

If any members have information or feedback that would be of benefit to the industry, please feel free to either forward it or call me to discuss.

NACA

How time flies, this time last month the industry was at sixes and sevens with the EOI document for the RACQ 6 | Motor Trader April 2014

selected repairer process. One month on, this has been completed and some of you are now going through the selection process for IAG. Suncorp's new contracts come into play as of about now and then we will all have to deal with the RFP for RACQ. Add the WFI/ IAG merger into the picture and it seems that there is never a dull moment in this wonderful industry we are involved in.

However, this is just this start. Cars are changing, the industry has changed, and it's now do or die for those of us who wish to remain involved and competitive moving forward.

The NACA committee has all agreed to take up the challenge of completing Green Stamp and also AMBRA shop grading. This is an exciting time and the response I have had from you, the members, with respect to the shop grading and Green Stamp has been terrific.

RACQ have also agreed to implement AMBRA shop grading with their new selected repairer process, so this is a huge plus for QLD. We have some other initiatives on the go, and I will bring you all up to date in the next edition of the Additional, which is due to hit your inboxes prior to Easter.

Until then, keep living the dream.

Ian Cole QMID

As of 26 February 2014 lane filtering was made legal in NSW. This follows a three month trial in Sydney CBD areas and is expected to be used as a model for all Australian states.

The chairman of QMID, Paul Petersen is looking to make this a subject with the appropriate Qld authorities in the future.

APRD

The date and venue of the APRAA National Conference has been confirmed: Date: Thursday, 7th August to

Saturday, 9th August Venue: Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport,

Cnr Robey & O’ Riordan St,

Mascot NSW 2000 Details of the format and agenda will be released as soon as they come to hand.

with Ben Chesterfield and Ian Cole UCD

The Used Car Division held its first meeting of the year with some good outcomes achieved.

The main subject was the “Dob in a Backyarder” portal on the MTAQ website which is now active.

This project has been undertaken with the co-operation of Office of Fair Trading in order to identify unlicensed operators and take action in order to limit the impact they are having on legitimate motor dealers and consumers.

I recommend that all members familiarise themselves with this portal and notify MTAQ when this type of activity is observed.

UCD Chairman Michael Kennedy and Kellie Dewar, General Manager MTAQ, appeared as witnesses at the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee hearing for the Motor Dealers & Chattel Auctioneers Bill 2013.

Points that were raised & discussed: • A legislative requirement for individuals or businesses selling new or used motor vehicles to operate from a Council-approved business premises.

• A requirement for Dealers to include their License numbers with car advertisements in order to identify “dealer” sales from “private” sales and allow consumers to check the dealer’s legitimacy against Office of Fair Trading.

• A requirement for motor dealers registering for Auctions to produce photographic identification with their dealer’s license to advance transparency.

• 1 class of statutory warranty.

Thanks to all who attended the UCD meeting on 5/3/14 and I would like to encourage all members to make themselves available for future meetings and look forward to your input.

In the future you will see the name ARD – Automotive Remarketing Division.

This is due to the UCD Committee and MTAQ Board approving a name change from Used Car Division (UCD) to Automotive Remarketing Division (ARD).

FRESH APPROACH TO AUCTIONS ROSS AUTO AUCTIONS is a family owned and operated motor vehicle auction house located in Eagle Farm.

As the only ‘Strictly Dealer Only’ auction house in Brisbane, Ross Auto Auctions has quickly established itself as a fresh face in the motor auction industry, with a fresh approach.

Ross Auto Auctions’ key message to licenced motor dealers is ‘Selling to you is our business, selling to the public is yours’.

Auctions for licenced dealers are held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10am. No Admin Fee applies to Wednesday auctions and Thursday budget auctions for any vehicles purchased under the hammer. All vehicles are presented to auction to ensure dealers have an equal opportunity to purchase, and all vehicles are available for inspection between 7am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Ross Auto Auctions invites licenced motor dealers to visit their fully undercover showroom at 53 Savage Street, Eagle Farm, and meet

There are great prizes to be won at Ross Auto Auctions during April, May and June

their experienced and professional staff.

Ross Auto Auctions is serious about supporting dealers and prides itself as the auction house with the best quality, variety and prices. Their team of expert buyers have a thorough understanding of the motor industry and the needs of motor dealers, and this is why they chose to deal with them exclusively.

Owner Glenn Ross explains what separates Ross Auto Auctions from other auction houses, “The big difference between us and many other auction houses is that we sell strictly to dealers only. We are in the business of supporting licenced motor dealers - we

want their custom, not their customers.”

Quality cars aren’t the only prize to be won at Ross Auto Auctions in the coming months. During April, May and June Ross Auto Auctions is running new and exciting competitions with big prizes to be won, including a jet ski, camper trailer, quad bike and much more!

You have to be in it to win it.

Visit www.rossautoauctions.com.au to register and check out the daily stock list, or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/RossAutoAuctions for more competition details. Support the motor dealer that supports you.

ross auto auctions strictlry deale s only

Auctions for licenced motor deAlers only Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday aT 10am stock sheet updated daily – www.rossautoauctions.com.au Best Quality, Best Variety Fully under-cover auction showroom Experienced and professional staff NO ADMIN FEE on Wednesday AND Thursday auction sales

no retail here

selling to dealers is our business—selling to the public is yours. support the auction that supports you.

53 Savage Street, Eagle Farm (Pinkenba) P: (07) 3291 8999 e: admin@rossauto.com.au F: (07) 3291 8989

April 2014 Motor Trader | 7

QA

MTA &

MT: How did you get started in the trade?

ALLAN: I started my apprenticeship in 1967 in Gympie. My dad was a mechanic and my grandfather was a mechanic who started his shop in 1919.

I worked for my dad there then came down to Brisbane in 1972 and opened a couple of Midas franchises – one in Indooroopilly and one here. We opened Underwood Car Care Centre in 2001.

GRANT: I completed my apprenticeship about 9 years ago. I studied computer based art and design at university and did architectural technology too but that didn’t work out. So I started working at the Indooroopilly shop, and then came to this location. I’m now the workshop manager.

MT: What services does Underwood Car Care Centre offer?

ALLAN: Services, brakes, suspension, steering – that’s the sort of work we do.

Also, though the guys who work here are qualified mechanics they started out as exhaust fitters so, because of that, we do some custom exhaust work. We’re also a dealer for Fulcrum suspension.

Grant and Allan Batson

MT: What challenges are you and the business facing at the moment?

ALLAN: What we’re finding is we’re doing a lot of different types of vehicles now. That’s one of the challenges in the industry today. In the past 12 to 18 months we’ve done a lot more European cars and we expect to be going down the European track more because they are leading the world in advances in design, especially in regards to pollution and so on.

The Batson family has an association with the automobile industry that stretches back almost a century. Today, the Batson family of Allan, wife Carol and son Grant run Underwood Car Care Centre south of Brisbane. MT talked to Allan and Grant about the trade, its challenges and life running a small business.

MT: Electric and hybrid cars seem to be the future. What are you thoughts on the industry’s future?

ALLAN: The industry has changed a lot. The average low-price car has got 4 or 5 computers - some have 30 or more. It’s getting to the stage where mechanics need to be paid more money because this is complicated stuff.

When I started my apprenticeship you could train virtually anyone to be a mechanic but these days it’s different.

Mechanics are working on 60-odd different makes in Australia now and they’re all different. Cars come in with a problem and the first thing you’ve got to do is to figure out how it was designed to work in the first place before you can figure out what’s wrong with it. So when we have kids coming in for apprenticeships these days it is very difficult. The vast majority of them, God bless ‘em, want to unbolt stuff and bolt stuff on and that’s only a small part of the business these days.

It’s all about fault-finding. That’s the kind of people we need in the industry.

They’ve got to be bright but they’ve got to have a reasoning skill where they can problem solve.

MT: How many employees do you have and what do you look for in an employee?

ALLAN: I have seven staff including four mechanics. Attitude is a huge thing. Unless you want to do it, this is a tough old job. Any mechanic over 40 probably has a crook back from bending over and lifting and that sort of thing. I said to my boys when they were growing up that I don’t care what you do so long as you’re the best at

“ONE OF THE THINGS

WE DO HERE IS WHEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM WE GET OUR HEADS TOGETHER, SIT DOWN, CHUCK IDEAS AROUND AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THERE ISN’T MUCH WE HAVEN’T SOLVED.” it and you love doing it. If you love doing whatever your job is then it’s never a job, and if you’re the best at whatever that job is then you’re going to make enough money. I think any mechanics are still in the game because they love their job.

MT: Your office wall is covered in training certificates. How important is it to keep studying?

ALLAN: I’m very big on training. A guy once said to me, ‘Aren’t you afraid that you’re spending all this money training your guys and they’ll get up and leave you?’ and I said ‘I’m more afraid that I won’t train them and they’ll stay’. So, we’ll work in any training courses that come around that I think are of value.

None of us is stupid enough to think we know everything. I can admit that I’m still learning. In fact, one of the things we do here is when we have a problem we get our heads together, sit down, chuck ideas around and come up

with a solution. There isn’t much we haven’t solved.

MT: The Internet has changed the way many businesses work. How has it affected Underwood Car Care Centre?

ALLAN: I remember only 6 or 7 years ago that 25 per cent of our business came through the Yellow Pages. Back then we used to get a little bit from the web, but now it’s just enormous and we’ve just redone our website to make it mobile phone compatible. That’s where it’s all going. Using a mobile phone is how the vast majority of people find things out. That’s the challenge for people my age. For younger people who have grown up with it, it’s not so bad.

MT: What’s it like working together as a father and son team?

GRANT: It’s good. He teaches me a lot of stuff and I think he’s a bit more lenient with me!

ALLAN: One advantage is that I worked with my dad too, so I know what it’s like from Grant’s side. We have our disagreements, but what’s life without disagreements? For the amount of years he’s had in the game he’s doing well. The main thing I’m hoping to teach him is the way of doing things how to approach things.

MT: What do you do in your spare time?

GRANT: I play cricket, Oztag, and Touch Rugby League. And a bit of fishing too.

ALLAN: We work six days a week so on Sunday’s I don’t do anything!

Just relax.

April 2014 Motor Trader | 9

ON THE MOVE Mark Webber’s World Endurance Championship Porsche debut edges closer, and the driver is relishing the prospect of a new challenge.

A

UTÓDROMO JOSÉ CARLOS Pace, Sao Paolo November 24, 2013, and Mark Webber takes to the podium after finishing second to Sebastian Vettel in the final race of the Formula 1 Grand Prix season.

There was nothing unusual in that: Webber had claimed 42 podiums in his previous 216 races. But as the Aussie strode forward to take the acclaim, he did so “overcome with emotion” knowing, as everybody else did, it would be the last time he would do so on the F1 stage.

That was five months ago. Here in April, the 37-year-old is at an unfamiliar juncture. Liberated by knowing this would be the first time since 2002 he would not be able to list his occupation as ‘F1 driver’, the likeable Aussie has a new career to look forward to, driving for Porsche in the World Endurance Championship.

10 | Motor Trader April 2014

But he remains reflective – how could one not be after 11 magical years at the peak of motorsport? “I definitely am nostalgic about what’s happened over the last decade or so,” the New South Wales-raised speedster begins. “I know people coming out of a sport often say it’s had a profound effect on their lives, but that really is true with F1. It was the whole drive behind moving to England and has formed the foundation for 11 great years both on the track and away from it.

“But I’ve made the right call by deciding now to leave it behind,” he follows. “There aren’t that many drivers who clock up 11 seasons, and you can stay too long – it’s easy to.”

And what length of service it has been. Moving from Formula 3 in 2002 (after a $100,000 donation from rugby legend David Campese kept his career on the road in 1997),

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel during a press conference at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix

“I’VE MADE THE RIGHT CALL

BY DECIDING NOW TO LEAVE IT BEHIND. THERE AREN’T THAT MANY DRIVERS WHO CLOCK UP 11 SEASONS, AND YOU CAN STAY TOO LONG – IT’S EASY TO.” Webber made his F1 debut in his home Grand Prix in March 2002 when driving with Minardi. Aussie Paul Stoddart’s team’s first championship points in three years were secured as Webber finished the race in fifth.

The following year he switched to Jaguar where, despite the limitations of the car, the driver’s reputation continued to grow, and within three years had landed at Red Bull (via Williams) where three 3rd-placed championship finishes cemented Webber’s reputation as one of the sport’s best in a generation. Along the way were nine F1 race wins, 13 poles and 19 fastest laps.

There were dramas of both the personal kind, such as his on- and off-track clashes with Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel, and of the competitive, most notably the horror smash in Valencia in 2010 that could easily have killed him, yet Webber

has always treated obstacles with trademark good humour.

“When you sign up for any type of motorsport you know the risks – it’s dangerous driving around at 200mph!

Certainly those risks are much more manageable than they were in the past, and that’s a comfort, but you know the score when you put that helmet on, and it will be just the same with the World Endurance Championships.”

Yet Webber will be missed not just thanks to his prowess on the track but because he has been one of the sport’s charismatic commanders - honest, straight-talking and down-to-earth in an age of frequent displays of ego.

He admits the public spats with Vettel perhaps should have been avoided, and that his team mate and, some would say, nemesis, could often “go too far” - reference the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2013 when the German explosively defied team orders to overtake him. But Webber can now be more philosophical.

“Of course, it was a big part of F1 for a while and it was exciting to be in that boxing ring with him,” he admits.

“I think that in years to come I will look back and realise I learned a lot about myself because of that. It’s a bit of a shame that I was a lot older than him - if there hadn’t have been over 10 years between us it could have been a proper duel - it could have exploded into some big rivalry; but it was a lot of fun.”

April 2014 Motor Trader | 11

That’s not the only regret Webber still holds from his F1 days. “Having the chance to join Renault was a big thing and I turned it down. I played it over in my head for a long time, but I came to that decision and, whether it was the right or the wrong one, that was a crossroads. You never know what might have happened if you pursue a different route, or if, for instance, if the sport hadn’t changed to Pirelli tyres,” he says, referencing the sport’s switch from Bridgestone in 2011 and the subsequent slower cornering of the Italian tyre.

But for someone who invested almost a third of his life in F1, the quibbles are few and far between. That says a lot about Webber’s philosophy for sport, something he puts down to the upbringing he had in Queanbeyan.

“Sport was a huge part of my childhood – in motorbikes, Aussie rules, tennis, cricket and more – but we always knew when the game ended, and being able to put the competition to one side has been important for me staying grounded throughout my career. And I’ll continue like that with Porsche.

“My father and I would always watch Formula One together on the television. He owned a motorbike shop and made it pretty clear to me from a young age that he didn’t want me to get involved in bikes! I guess he’d seen too many good guys come off second best. I was massively into sports like rugby league and it wasn’t until I was about 14 that I really got into racing karts.

“IT IS SO DAUNTING WHEN YOU ARE

STARTING OUT, AND YOU REALISE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE AT THE TOP AND THOSE WHO ARE SEMI-PRO IS MASSIVE. I WAS TAUGHT BY MY PARENTS TO GET INSPIRED BY THE BEST AND IT WAS GREAT ADVICE.”

Mark Webber racing for Red Bull during the 2012 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix

12 | Motor Trader April 2014

“But I had some great guys to look up to. Alain Prost has always been my big F1 hero - he was always very calculating and he knew how to look after his car and bring it home.

That’s why they called him the Professor; it was an exciting time for Formula One.” And once cars were in his life, there was no looking back.

He admits that a need for speed has been the principal factor behind his career choices, and that’s no different now as he looks ahead to the new WEC racing season, which begins at Silverstone on April 20.

“Look, I’d be lying if I said it was anything other than putting the foot on the pedal and going as fast as you can!

That is what I do it for, that is my passion and always was my passion from as soon as I could drive. I have had that passion from childhood and it will never leave me.”

Webber credits his parents for their support when driving became more than a hobby.

“I always had encouragement from my parents, which was fantastic for me, especially when I was young. When I was starting out, my dad always used to say to me that I should put myself up against the very best and aim to beat them, which is a great way of looking at it. It is so daunting when you are starting out, and you realise the difference between those at the top and those who are semi-pro is massive.

MARK’S MOTOR: THE 919 HYBRID THE NEW PORSCHE 919 Hybrid celebrated its world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in March and it is a car that benefits from cutting-edge technology.

"Crucial in the development of the Le Mans prototype were the newly created and revolutionary racing rules for this class as they relate to energy efficiency," said Matthias Müller, Chairman of Porsche AG. "In 2014, it will not be the fastest car that wins the World Endurance Championship series and the 24 hours of Le Mans, rather it will be the car that goes the furthest with a defined amount of energy. And it is precisely this challenge that carmakers must overcome. The 919 Hybrid is our fastest mobile research laboratory and the most complex race car that Porsche has ever built."

The exceptional efficiency of the Porsche 919 Hybrid is the result of a carefully balanced overall concept.

The combustion engine is a compact V four-cylinder petrol engine that also serves as a load-bearing member in the chassis. The engine has two litres displacement, direct fuel injection, single turbocharger and revs up to 9,000 rpm. Power is around 500 hp (368 kW).

In addition, the Le Mans 919 Hybrid prototype has two energy recovery systems. There is a system that recovers thermal energy from exhaust gases via an electric generator driven by the exhaust gas stream. The second hybrid system has a generator on the front axle which utilises braking phases to convert kinetic energy into electric energy. Lithium-ion batteries serve as the energy storage medium. When the driver accesses this energy, an electric motor drives the front axle. This makes the 919 Hybrid an all-wheel drive vehicle, albeit temporarily.

Mark Webber will share driving duties in the new Porsche with Timo Bernhard from Germany and New Zealander Brendon Hartley.

“IT’S REALLY GOOD TO BE PART

OF A NEW TEAM. WE ALL KNOW WE’VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT THAT’S THE CHALLENGE, EVEN FOR A TEAM THAT HAS WON LE MANS 16 TIMES, THE CHALLENGE NEVER LESSENS.” I was taught by my parents to get inspired by the best and it was great advice.”

So it is on to a new chapter for Webber. He admits the early rounds of testing have been intense, but is thrilled at the greater driver involvement.

“It’s really good to be part of a new team,” he says, as he prepares to drive alongside Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani. “We all know we’ve got a lot of work to do, but that’s the challenge, even for a team that has won Le Mans 16 times, the challenge never lessens. We have Audi and Toyota and Rebellion who will be right up there, but being part of Porsche is just so exciting and so special. And as I’ve said before, it was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up.”

M E M O R I A M I N

DOUG FLEMING, 1940-2014 MTAQ has lost one of its own with the passing of MIT trainer Doug Fleming

D

OUG FLEMING - automotive industry professional, restaurateur, avid sailor and beloved member of MTA Institute of Technology’s (MIT) training team - has passed away at the age of 73 after battling a long illness.

Doug, a trainer with MIT since 2003, had a deep knowledge of the automotive industry, having worked in the trade for more than 50 years, and was deeply respected by his colleagues, his students and the industry in general.

One of three brothers and sisters, Doug was born in the Brisbane suburb of Wynnum in 1940.

A student at Wynnum High School, Doug became a qualified mechanic and began work in the industry in 1956, moving steadily through the management ranks and holding many senior positions throughout his career including that of Manager of Fixed Operations for Brisbane’s Moorooka Enterprises Group – a post he took in 1982 and which saw him take responsibility for service and parts operations across 9 franchises, 5 service operations, 4 parts operations as well as the management of around 150 staff.

Though his management skills were undoubted, his skill as a mechanic, his love of the work, and of motor racing, would see Doug play a role in the storied history of Australia’s great motor race, the Bathurst 1000.

From 1976 to 1979 he was part of the pit crew for the Bryan Byrt Ford racing team - a team that included the legendary driver Dick Johnson.

His experience and knowledge saw Doug branch out in 1989 and he founded Sunstate Automotive Training and Consulting - a company dedicated to helping companies with project work and staff training. His skill and expertise were called upon by manufacturers and distributors and saw Doug travel extensively across Australia and New Zealand.

While Sunstate allowed Doug a challenging and satisfying career

14 | Motor Trader April 2014

“HE WORKED HARD,

ALWAYS HAD A STORY TO TELL AND WAS ALWAYS POSITIVE AND DRIVEN.” change, it also enabled him the opportunity to meet his wife Sheena the couple meeting 21 years ago when Doug was consulting for the Motorama Group in Brisbane. They married in 2000.

Though cars were Doug’s career, they were not his only passion - sailing was a pastime that was not only dear to him but also a competitive sport he relished.

A popular member of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron for many years, Doug indulged his passion most weekends, served on the Squadron’s House Committee and took part in many club, state and national sailing competitions, first in the solo Finn Class and later in the three-man Etchells 22 Class.

Another of Doug’s passions was good wine and good food, as his regular attendance at Beefsteak & Burgundy Club events make clear.

Doug, with wife Sheena, took this love of the gastronomic arts to the next level by opening the Dry Dock

restaurant at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane in 2001.

“Doug loved his food and his wine,” said Sheena. “And we sort of fell into it really. It was at a time when we were both looking for something different and the opportunity came up.”

Though they would leave the restaurant business in 2003, Doug’s love of food followed him and his office colleagues would often be treated to gifts of herbs taken from his lovingly tended garden.

Doug would eventually join MTAQ in 2003 and his work there was a job he found truly satisfying.

“He just loved his job with MTAQ,” said Sheena. “Even though it came later in his life, he just loved that job.”

Senior MIT Trainer Marcello Riotto worked with Doug closely after he joined MTAQ and remembers that time with deep affection.

“Doug looked after the Parts Interpreting side of things,” said Marcello. “He also looked after apprentices doing vehicle sales, did some dealer licensing and sales licensing for us and also did some diploma training for people who were in the trade and wanted to upgrade their skills from a technical role to a management role.

“He had lots of feathers in his cap and because of his experience he filled a lot of gaps for us.

“He was a bit of a mentor for me, was really well respected and had a close relationship with his students.

Nothing was too hard - it was always a case of ‘let’s do it, let’s get stuck into it’.

“He worked hard, always had a story to tell and was always positive and driven.”

A loving father, Doug Fleming had two children, Luke and Louise, with first wife Heather, and was the doting grandfather to four grandchildren Jack, Emma, Charly and Sasha.

Doug will be missed by us all and our thoughts go out to his family and friends.

News

BEGINNING OF THE END FOR DODGY CAR DEALERS M TA QUEENSLAND HAS launched their ‘dob in a backyarder’ website to put an end to the dodgy dealers that are giving the used car industry a bad name.

Unlicensed ‘backyarders’ have long been a problem for the used car industry. Operators make their living selling cars but pose as private sellers to avoid their legal obligations.

Consumers that buy cars from these operators are deprived of their legal rights, including to a cooling off period and statutory warranty, which protects them if their car turns out to be lemon.

Chair of MTAQ’s Used Car Division Michael Kennedy said he has encountered a number of horror stories as a used car dealer. “We’ve had cases of customers trading in a car and, after doing the standard background checks, have discovered they unwittingly bought a repairable write-off.”

It’s not only consumers that suffer at the hands of these unscrupulous operators. Backyard dealers disadvantage genuine dealers by avoiding their tax, stamp duty, record keeping and safety obligations. In doing so, they stack the deck against honest dealers that are complying with the law.

“It’s a one-two punch for genuine dealers,” said Mr Kennedy.

“Backyarders steal our business, undercut our prices by ignoring the law and give our industry a bad name.”

MTA Queensland members have united to put an end to these dodgy operators. The ‘dob in a backyarder’ site will give genuine dealers the means to report dodgy operators and help enforcement agents in the Office of Fair Trading to shut them down.

MTA Queensland is also lobbying the Government to include measures in the new Motor Dealers and Chattel

Auctioneers Bill 2013 to stop backyard dealers that have been able to obtain licenses as a result of disastrous changes to the law made in 2010.

“Among other things, we will again be asking the Government to mandate that all vehicle dealers have council-approved business premises” said MTA Queensland General Manager Ms Dewar. “We will also ask that dealers be required to identify themselves by their dealer licence number in all vehicle advertising, including online advertising.”

Unlicensed dealers who operate as private sellers are thriving at the expense of dealers who observe the law. The industry is taking charge and working together to put them out of business for good.

Access the Dob In A Backyarder website at www.mtaq.com.au

REGO CHANGES ON THEIR WAY

by Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson in September 2013.

“This will bring Queensland into line with most other Australian states which have already gone stickerless,” Mr Emerson said at the time.

Mr Emerson added that advances in technology meant the detection of unregistered vehicles could be done using number plate recognition.

Vehicles will still need to be registered, and registration renewal notices will be sent out about 4 weeks before expiry date to remind owners to re-register their vehicles.

A registration label will still be

required to be displayed up until September 30, 2014. From October 1, 2014, it can be removed. There will be no penalty if the registration label is not removed.

A registration label will also still be required when driving in the other states and territories in Australia up until October 1, 2014.

Registration expiry dates can be checked online or by calling Transport and Main Roads on 13 23 80.

The Department of Transport and Main Road’s online facility for checking registration is operational and available at www.service.transport.qld.gov.au

From October 1, 2014, vehicle registration stickers will be abolished in Queensland for light vehicles including cars, motorcycles, light trailers, light caravans, light buses and motorized wheelchairs.

Heavy vehicles (over 4.5t gross vehicle mass) and recreational boats will still need registration labels.

The decision to scrap the registration labels was taken last year and announced

April 2014 Motor Trader | 15

Make: MAZDA Model 110S L10A COSMO SPORT YEAR: 1967 Engine: MAZDA WANKEL ROTARY 0810 Transmission: 4-SPEED MANUAL Owner: DANNY IRVINE

AZDA’S SUPERMODEL

S

OMEWHERE ON BRISBANE’S sprawling north side, in an anonymous large warehouse, there lies a treasure trove - a veritable hoard of vehicular gems.

There are more than 20 cars here, lined up neatly alongside each other, some covered by white, protective sheeting, others left open to the still and undisturbed environment.

It is quite a sight, mainly because no matter where your eye is drawn, every car has the look, the feel, the aura, of a classic. But this is no ordinary collection of classics. It is a collection of cars that share one common thread. Every vehicle here is a Mazda.

There’s an early ’60s K360 3-wheeler, and a T2000 and T1500 as well. There’s a rare 1970 Luce R130 Coupe, a P360 Carol, an RX-7, a stunning 1990 Eunos Cosmo (a car which, amongst other notable features, employed the world’s first mobile communication system that included a GPS) and a quite fantastic 1966 R360 - a tiny vehicle that was the first passenger car ever produced by Mazda.

It’s a ripsnorter of a collection and one of the largest of its kind. Anywhere. In the world. And it’s a collection that reflects the near life-long passion for the Mazda marque of one man, Danny Irvine, a mechanical engineer and owner of Automotive Plus - a company that, not surprisingly, deals in the business of Mazda, its core focus being specialist service support and providing quality parts for the MX5 and RX-8.

And it’s a collection that has a worldwide recognition, with people from across the globe having stopped by to take a look.

“The collection is not the biggest in the world,” says Danny.

“But I believe it is the biggest private collection in Australia.

16 | Motor Trader April 2014

“I’m passionate about these cars and I really enjoy the fact other people come here to see them.

I’ve had people come from all over the world drop by and ask if they can have a look.”

But as fine as the collection is, as stunning as all the cars are, there is one that stands out.

It is a quite beautiful 1967 110S L10A Cosmo Sport, a sleek coupe with sweeps and curves to its lines that easily rival its more acclaimed ‘60s European counterparts.

Built by hand, only 343 of the L10As were made and it was powered by the revolutionary 0810 10A 110hp rotary engine that was capable, officially, of pushing the car to 100kph in 8.7 seconds and on to a claimed top speed of 185kph. The car was, in fact, the first Mazda to be powered by a Wankel rotary engine - an engine design that Mazda continues to utilise and improve to this day.

Danny found the Cosmo in Japan in 2011.

“I do most of my purchasing online,” says Danny.

“I found the L10A on Yahoo Japan and bought it through a vintage car firm in Yokohama.”

It may be ‘vintage’ but it’s a word that doesn’t do it justice.

The classic feel of the outside is continued on the inside and the sleek black interior, the dashboard of neatly designed dials, the hounds-tooth pattern on the seats and the thin wooden steering

wheel all scream ’60s elegance.

“It raises a few eyebrows when I take it out,” says Danny. “And it surprises me how many people know what it is. There are styling cues from a whole lot of other manufacturers in it. Some say it has a Thunderbird rear end, some say it’s like a Jag E-type at the front end. But that’s what the Japanese did so well in that era - they interpreted other ideas and made them their own.

“This is how it would have looked when it ran out of the factory and it is, I think, the only original L10A Cosmo Sport in Australia.”

So why is Danny so passionate about Mazda?

“I’d have to blame my uncle,” he says with a chuckle.

“Back in 1978 he got one of the first RX-7s that came into Australia and I still remember sitting in the back of that car as a 5-year-old and watching the needle moving and the sound of the engine revving. That was probably the seed.”

And Danny’s passion for Mazda has grown ever since.

In fact, he has not owned another make of car . . . ever.

“I’ve only ever owned a Mazda. There was a Ford Telstar TX5 Ghia in the middle there somewhere - but that was really just a 626.”

Danny doesn’t drive the Cosmo every day. Like many classic car owners he takes the car for a spin every few weeks to keep things healthy and ticking over.

DO YOU HAVE A PRIDE AND JOY IN THE GARAGE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN THE PAGES OF MOTOR TRADER? Contact Jonathan Nash at jonathann@ mtaq.com.au or 07 3237 8721 and let’s see if we can share your classic with other members.

“Generally I’ll take it to events,” he says. “There’s what they call an ‘old-school’ meet held at Harry’s Diner at Windsor and I’ll get it into there with the Aussie and American muscle cars. And I’ll take it to other events as well, like classic Japanese shows or sometimes to fundraiser cruisers.

“I do enter it into shows but really I do that because I like other people to see it and get up close and personal with it.”

Copies of the original Cosmo brochure can be found online and on the last page of that document can be found the following words: “The Mazda 110S is the most startling, most exciting automotive breakthrough of our lifetime. Beautiful, breathtaking, bold. Destined to be a classic in years to come.”

Brave words coming from what was then a small manufacturer of no great note.

Brave words, but prophetic.

April 2014 Motor Trader | 17

RUSSELL MARKS 20 YEARS AT MTAQ W MEMBERS ESSENTIALS Contents 20 Training matters 22 Industrial relations 23 Charity matters 26 Member profiles

BILL ROBERTSON TOYOTA GRAHAM TAYLOR AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS SELF SERVE AUTO PARTS

18 | Motor Trader April 2014

HEN MTAQ MEMBERS have a technical query – an awkward mechanical problem that requires some expert assistance - then Russell Sticklen is the man they call for help.

The Technical Adviser and Stationery Manager for MTAQ has been offering sound advice to members for two decades, as well as churning out books, brochures, leaflets and innumerable other publications for members via his more recent role as Stationery Manager.

Russell reached the 20-year milestone with MTAQ in March this year and he takes a lot of pride and satisfaction in his role.

“I do like it when I can help the members who call, though it can be tough and can involve quite a bit of research,” said Russell.

The automotive industry was always going to be a part of Russell’s life.

Ipswich born and bred, the 44-yearold has a passion for cars and how they tick - a passion that has its genesis in his childhood.

“I was always pulling things apart and putting them back together again to see how they worked,” said Russell.

“And I was always into cars. I was into pushbikes too as a kid, but only because I couldn’t drive a car!

“My dad and uncle had a radiator business in Ipswich and I knew a lot of people in the motor trade. There was a car yard and a spare parts place next door and I spent a bit of time there.”

That love of cars developed into a love of racing and Russell has taken most of the cars he has owned for a thrash down the drag track at Willowbank Raceway west of Brisbane.

“It’s hard to say how I got into it,” said Russell. “The old man took me to Surfers Paradise once when I was a kid, back when it was the only drag strip around, and I thought that was pretty cool. And as soon as I got a car, a Ford Escort 1600 Mk1, I took it out to have a race.”

And it was the reaction of the crowd when he raced that day that cemented Russell’s love for speed.

Russell Sticklen

“I only raced it once. I remember I was up against a Valiant in the first round but the crowd was cheering for me. Everyone was cheering for the little car. I didn’t win though!

“I’ve pretty much put every car I’ve owned down the drag strip since.

I even raced my sister’s Nissan Pulsar, though I lost in the first round and got a trophy for being the slowest!”

Initially, Russell began his career in the industry as a mechanical apprentice, but an unfortunate accident left him unable to work for a time.

“I couldn’t really do full-time mechanical work anymore and the accident put me out of action for about 12 months,” he said.

And it was after working for a number of years at automotive parts stores that the then 25-year-old Russell made contact with the MTAQ – contact that led to a change of career.

“The rehabilitation service got me onto a Console Operator’s course at MTAQ,” he said. “The training manager at the time said that the MTAQ was looking for someone with a mechanical background who could assist members with technical information and that’s how I became a technical adviser.”

After 20 years in the job, Russell is looking forward to another couple of decades assisting members and being part of the MTAQ organisation.

“The team at MTAQ is really good,” he said. “They’re a friendly bunch who are always willing to help out. And helping people is something I like very much.

I’ve been doing it for a long time.”

April 2014 Motor Trader | 19

E S S E N T I A L S

S A MEMBER of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ), you may have received an unsolicited letter from the Australian Motor Industry Federation (AMIF) regarding MTAQ’s membership of AMIF. At the recent MTAQ Board Meeting it was unanimously resolved to write to members of AMIF regarding what the MTAQ Board perceived are substantial organisational issues that need to be addressed within AMIF before it can fully and adequately represent the Australian automotive industry employers. It is our hope that these issues can be addressed.

Here is a copy (right) of the letter sent by MTAQ to AMIF, the unsolicited AMIF letter to you is their response to the MTAQ letter.

You may recall that years ago MTAQ resigned its membership of MTAA because of similar issues and that BOTH Victoria (including Tasmania) and NSW later resigned and we collectively commenced forming a new national organisation. At the last minute Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales joined with the other States and Territories to form AMIF on the assumption that MTAA would be dissolved and its activities rolled-into AMIF. For 85 years MTAQ has represented Queensland automotive businesses and worked hard, and successfully, to promote and protect members’ interests at both state and federal levels. This will not change regardless of MTAQ’s relationship with AMIF. MTAQ, as it has always done, will utilise the experience, knowledge and skills of its staff and the Board members who guide it, to fulfil its obligations to members, and will continue to provide you with unrivalled services including advocacy at the top levels of government, assistance with legal concerns, industrial relations, technical matters, business advice and training – all the services that membership of MTAQ entitles you to now will continue to be available to you.

MTAQ will continue to have a national voice as it works on your behalf promoting your businesses’ - and the automotive industry’s - best interests.

M E M B E R S

BUSINESS AS USUAL AT MTA QUEENSLAND AND MIT A

E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Training matters

STUDENTS LEARN THE BASICS ON THE ROAD TO EMPLOYMENT M TA INSTITUTE OF Technology played host to a diverse group of students last month as 21 trainees from across Queensland undertook a Certificate I in Mechanical via an Australian Apprenticeship Access Course.

Aged from 17 to 56, the group was under the guidance and tutelage of MIT trainer Jeff Mann during the practical side of the course, which saw them undertake various tasks while learning about the basics of the mechanical trade.

Organised by Access Program provider Karen Gummerson, the federally funded course is designed to help disadvantaged people find an apprenticeship.

“The course is open to applicants between the ages of 15 to 64 years provided they meet one of the many

eligibility criteria,” said Karen.

“I look to MIT to deliver the practical training and then, once I have feedback from the trainer, I look for apprenticeship placements for the students.”

The students spend the first part of the three-week course with Karen learning some job-finding basics.

“The first week gives me the opportunity to get to know them,” said Karen. “I talk about resumes, about practice interviews and personal presentation. We also look at goal setting and motivation. I try to give them all of the tools to help them to be successful.”

“The whole idea of the course is to give them a foot in the door of the industry,” said Jeff Mann.

“We teach them the basics of safety and the environment, and we teach

Kaitlin Cooper

20 | Motor Trader April 2014

them how to use tools and how to identify and store them properly.

“We also do practical work such as a basic service on cars. We try to give them some of the mechanical fundamentals. It’s better for them to do it here, in this workshop, before they go out into the real world. This way we get to spend time with them and get them involved as much as possible.”

18-year-old Kaitlin Cooper from Deception Bay was one of the students taking part and she was impressed both with the course and MIT’s training resources. “Jeff is easy to learn from and really encourages us to get in there,” she said. “And I think the apprentices who train here are pretty lucky – they are great facilities.”

Cousins Joe Dix and Tom Budby travelled from Mackay to undertake the course.

“I was looking for an apprenticeship in Mackay and there really wasn’t anything, but then I saw the advert for this course,” said Tom. “It’s great and I’m learning a lot of stuff.”

“Even if I don’t get an apprenticeship, I am expanding my knowledge,” added Joe. “It’s good to have something to put on your resume that shows you’re interested and that you’ve done something about it.”

Once the course is completed and the students have their certificates or Statement of Attainment, Karen seeks apprenticeship placements for them.

“We have had apprenticeship placements run as high as 60 per cent and a few more in full-time employment,” she said. “And I do have employers who come back to me time and again.”

For more information contact Karen Gummerson on 0421 552 725.

MIT TRAINER PROFILE

KEVIN RYAN

Ted Kowalski, MTAQ’s Industrial Relations Manager, was with MTAQ for the entire time it occupied the office building and he is sad to see it go.

“It was glorious working there,” he said. “It was by the river – what more could you ask for. It was a lovely spot.

“It is sad. It is a part of our history that is gone. It had to happen though.

Even while we were there we realised it was inadequate for our needs. We did do some renovations to accommodate

our departments but in the end we simply outgrew the building.”

By 2007, the need to improve facilities had seen the training arm of MTAQ move to leased premises at the SkillsTech precinct at Acacia Ridge.

In 2009, Motor Trades House was sold to developers and MTAQ moved as one into a temporary home at Cannon Hill before moving into its current home, The Sir Jack Brabham Centre of Excellence, in 2011.

What is your specialised area?

What do you believe is the most important aspect of training?

Good communication. Enabling the student to understand what it is they are learning.

General all-rounder.

What is your background in the automotive industry?

Started with the family run business in service stations then Leading Hand at Mitsubishi Dealer, Foreman at Honda Dealer, Service Advisor, Service Manager at Mercedes Benz LCV, Used car reconditioning coordinator, and Technical Trainer with MIT. When did you become a trainer for MTA Institute of Technology?

January 2013.

What geographical area do you service?

Brisbane outer north side.

What is the most satisfying aspect of your role as a trainer for MTA Institute of Technology?

Having a good rapport with my student to get the message across.

Why should someone consider a career in the automotive industry?

If they have a passion/love of things automotive.

What is the best piece of advice you can give to an apprentice starting out in the industry?

Not all days will be roses, stick with it through the highs and lows and take the good with the bad. A good tradesman will be the apprentice who gets in, gives it a go and gives their best.

When you’re not training, what do you like to do?

Most things involving engines - dirt bikes, jet ski, water ski, 4WD, long drives.

April 2014 Motor Trader | 21

E S S E N T I A L S

T WAS SEPTEMBER 1991 when, with a due sense of excitement, staff of MTAQ moved out of their home at Cordelia Street in South Brisbane and into plush, modern offices nestled on the bank of the Brisbane River at Buchanan Street.

Spurred on by the Queensland Government passing a resumption order on the Cordelia Street property, the MTAQ had been able to purchase the two-level building, renaming it Motor Trades House in the process.

It was the setting for 20 years of success and expansion.

But Motor Trades House is no more, having been demolished to make way for a $50million apartment project that will, according to the developer’s website, “feature a roof top pool, gymnasium and recreational area, with four ground floor retail spaces that will form an open air plaza.”

For those who served time at Motor Trades House it heralds the end of an era.

M E M B E R S

MTAQ’S OLD RIVERSIDE HQ MAKES WAY FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT I

E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Industrial relations DEALING WITH A REDUNDANCY

A

TED KOWALSKI INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS MANAGER

22 | Motor Trader April 2014

N ISSUE THAT is, unfortunately, becoming increasingly common for many members, is dealing with a down-turn in business. Once all efforts to cut costs have been exhausted you could be faced with the unpleasant task of reducing staff numbers. Following a proper process is important because an unfair dismissal claim can still flow from a redundancy if not handled properly. There a number of factors that you must give thought to in such a situation and they are listed below;• The redundancy must be genuine.

Don’t use redundancy as the stated reason for a termination if it is actually a poor performance issue.

If the employee lodges an unfair dismissal claim and you are unable to prove that the redundancy was genuine you could have a problem.

Are you able to show a decline in sales; lack of work going through your workshop; lack of profitability etc.?

• If possible, some forewarning of possible redundancies should be given to employees. Sometimes, of course, it could be glaringly obvious that “times are tough” with staff left with little productive work for part of the day.

• Once redundancies are inevitable you must discuss your proposed action with the employee/s concerned. A discussion is more than just an announcement that their position is no longer viable.

The employee should be given an opportunity to provide input into what is being considered. The employee may suggest an alternative to the job being done away with eg., converting to casual or accepting a lesser role, or some other proposition that you may not have thought of. You are not, of course, bound to accept any proposal that’s raised but must be able to show that a proper discussion occurred.

• If an alternative position is available, even it’s a lesser role on less money, but still within the capability of the employee, you

should offer it even if you don’t think it will be accepted. If no such alternative is available you should inform the employee of that fact.

• Take care in choosing which employee is to be made redundant if there are a number from which to choose. Ensure that objective measures are applied in the decision making. If poor performance is the reason one employee is chosen over another, it’s important that the poor performance has been evident and discussed with the employee prior to the redundancy decision.

Length of service, by itself, is not necessarily a good criterion to apply because an employee with short service might be far more capable than an employee that’s been with the business for a longer period.

An employee with a range of skills would obviously be retained over an employee with limited skills.

Be careful not to apply any form of discrimination in deciding who to make redundant. Age, sex, marital status should not form any part of the decisions making process.

• If you employ 15 or more employees ensure the correct redundancy payment is made along with the appropriate notice and accrued annual leave. (If your business employs fewer than 15 employees no redundancy pay is payable – just the notice period and any accrued annual leave.) If you want the employee to work out the notice period, the employee must be allowed one paid day off for each week of the notice period. If you’re unsure of the redundancy payment requirement and/or the correct notice period please contact the office for advice.

• Having made the position/s redundant make sure you do not re-hire for the same position within a short period. There would need to be some identifiable change in circumstances that you could point to, to justify re-hiring if the period was relatively short e.g. 3 months or less.

M E M B E R S

Charity matters NT FINISH

QLD WA

START

SA

AN EPIC CROSS-COUNTRY ADVENTURE S TEVE KAMERLING, OWNER of Kamson Mechanical in Mt Warren Park, clearly has a taste for adventure.

There is no clearer evidence of that than the fact that he will soon be embarking on an epic charitable enterprise known as The Great Australian Ride.

A whopping three week motorcycle trek from Byron Bay to the nation’s most western spot at Steep Point in West Australia, The Great Australian Ride takes riders on a 4-stage route through the centre of the country and will take them past some of the nation’s most iconic landmarks such as Birdsville, Uluru and Kings Canyon, and through some its most unforgiving terrain including the Simpson Desert.

The Ride is the brainchild of Stuart Ball, who completed a solo trek in 2011 raising more than $5000 for The Children’s Health Foundation.

Inspired to continue the event, the Ride now includes a dozen riders and raises tens of thousands of dollars each year – money that, this year, will go to SIDS and KIDS Qld, a charity whose mission is to provide bereavement support to Queensland families affected by the unexpected death of a young child.

This year’s Ride will be Steve’s first full trek after signing up for the first

stage of last year’s ride from Byron Bay to Birdsville. And he is happy to be back and part of the team.

“This year I’ll be going the whole way,” said Steve. “Basically I love riding motorbikes and to do something like this while raising money at the same time can only be a good thing.

“We’re just a group of guys who love bikes. It is a big trip and it’s about teamwork and getting each other through if we break down.”

At the time of MT’s interview, Steve’s chosen mode of transport, a Suzuki DR650, had been pulled apart as he prepared it for the gruelling 20day trip. And it needs to be in tip-top shape because the trek is arduous and, perhaps, just a little hazardous.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous about it,” said Steve.

“We’re riding loaded up bikes through soft sand in places, so it can be tricky.

Anything can happen. I wouldn’t do it without the back-up of a team like this.

There are satellite phones, a medic, support vehicles and even a spot tracker where you can follow riders’ progress on the internet.”

Though the Ride is not a race, there is a certain amount of healthy competition between riders.

“The competition is in who can raise the most money beforehand,” said Steve.

NSW

BYRON BAY

“The biggest fundraiser gets to wear the ‘lead jersey’ when we leave Byron Bay. “Last year we were leaving at 9am and at 8.30am there were still donations coming in!”

The riders expect to cover up to 500kms per day, with about half of their nights spent camping. And though a support vehicle will be bringing up the rear, riders are expected to carry supplies.

“We carry spare fuel, food, water and a few spares,” said Steve. “The idea is that you carry all your own camping gear and enough to survive for a couple of days if the worst were to happen.”

For Cheryl, Steve’s wife, the trip will be tough too, especially as Steve is planning to take some extra time by riding back from WA instead of the more conventional route of catching a flight while the bike is shipped back.

The MTAQ is playing its part in perhaps softening the blow of Steve’s absence, as Kamson Mechanical were the winners of January’s MTAQ member special offer prize of a $500 Flight Centre voucher.

The fortuitous timing of the win means Cheryl will have a chance to catch up with Steve in WA. “I got the phone call about the win on my birthday, so that was lovely surprise,” said Cheryl. “Steve will be away for about six weeks so I thought I could use the voucher to fly over and meet him.

I’ll probably miss him by then!”

If you are interested in sponsoring Steve then go to thegreataustralianride2014. everydayhero.com/au/steve-kamerling For more information about The Great Australian Ride go to www.thegreataustralianride.com April 2014 Motor Trader | 23

E S S E N T I A L S

STEEP POINT

E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Charity matters

FUNDRAISING TREK A GREAT ENDEAVOUR B ack in 1988, 37 vehicles left Toowoomba to embark on a 5000km outback odyssey that was the very first Queensland Great Endeavour Rally.

Since then, the annual expeditions have raised more than $8.5million for the Endeavour Foundation, a not-forprofit organisation which supports people with a disability by providing education, training, employment, accommodation, respite and recreation options in QLD, NSW and Victoria.

This year, from July 11, the Queensland Great Endeavour Rally will leave Warwick for a near 4000km crunch through the outback on a winding route through the remote south-west of the state ending up at Bundaberg on July 19.

MTAQ member Brisbane Motor Auctions has been a significant supporter of the Rally and the Endeavour Foundation for a number of years - supplying a bus to the Foundation for year-round use, the loan of 4WD vehicles, as well as sponsoring many events.

Michael Kennedy, Dealer Principal of Brisbane Motor Auctions has, along with a few of his employees, taken part numerous times in the annual expedition and, to Michael, his involvement comes from what he has seen of the day-to-day battles handicapped children and their families often have to fight.

“We got involved about six years ago,” he said. “The children, and the parents who bring up these children, can have a pretty tough time of it.

“It can be tumultuous on the family and, when you see that side of it, it’s one of the reasons to get involved.

“I’ve been to some of the facilities around the countryside and seen first hand the work they do behind the scenes, and it is quite remarkable what they do in these communities.

24 | Motor Trader April 2014

Preparation is the key for the long trek through the outback

“So we give them support and enter a car into the Rally.”

Ah yes, the Rally.

In a twist on other events, the Great Endeavour Rally runs a ‘rough and tough’ course, designed for modified cars, alongside a less intimidating ‘cruise’ route for unmodified vehicles.

Michael and his team have taken the ‘rough and tough’ route a number of times and their car of choice has been built especially for the task.

“We have a Falcon Station Wagon that has taken part in at least 10 rallies and I’ve done it four times myself,” said Michael.

“It’s got a full six-point roll cage, bash plates, diff guards, oil sump guards, fuel tank guards and it’s raised a couple of inches. Our workshop built it from the ground up.”

Which brings us to perhaps one of the more important donations that Michael has provided to the Endeavour Rally – the mobile workshop: a truck kitted out

with everything, hopefully, a participant might need if they get into trouble, including two resourceful mechanics.

“It has a generator, 240v lighting, MIG welders, recovery gear, winches all sorts of stuff,” said Michael.

“We give anyone who needs it some assistance, be they broken down in the middle of a field, or stuck in rivers or creeks or a paddock somewhere.”

And the team has to be versatile, for the nature of the rally means participants can get stuck in some unusual and very remote places and being able to think on your feet and adapt is crucial.

“We were on a cattle property once,” said Michael, “And there was nowhere to lift the cars so they used a forklift to raise the vehicles to get underneath them.

“Another time, a guy drove his car into a river and it turned out to be about 15 feet deep and he sank the car. We took a day getting the water out of it. They

There can be severe obstacles to hurdle in the rally

Some classic cars take on the Rally. A 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur took on last year's Rally, as did this classic 1970 Mercedes 280S, owned by Brad and Stacey Allan from Ballandean

“I’VE BEEN TO SOME OF THE FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE AND SEEN FIRST HAND THE WORK THEY DO BEHIND THE SCENES, AND IT IS QUITE REMARKABLE WHAT THEY DO IN THESE COMMUNITIES.” had to pull the gearbox and the motor to get the water out but we got it going.”

Even for an experienced campaigner like Michael, things have not always been plain sailing and he has at least one tale to tell where, having gotten into trouble in the remote terrain of Arnhem Land, spare parts were found in an unlikely spot.

“We ended up finding the parts in a garbage tip on an Aboriginal settlement,” he said.

Extraordinary.

If all this sounds a little hazardous, then it’s only as dangerous as participants make it. As with other events, there are sweep cars and regular checkpoints to keep track of everyone.

As well as that, the list of equipment required for each participant to take along is extensive and geared to keeping everyone safe, and includes a requirement for navigational equipment, a UHF radio, an orange rotating light on the roof of vehicles for dusty conditions, a First Aid kit . . . the list goes on.

Of course, the Rally is not all hazardous work. There are the obligatory evenings of fun when participants can let off a bit of steam, and there are the special occasions when the Rally pulls into small country towns and hamlets to be greeted by communities in an atmosphere that Michael describes as “electric”.

“You get kids who come out of everywhere,” he said. “And it’s a really good feeling. To see all these kids, who don’t see anyone for weeks, or see only each other in their small communities.

It is fantastic.”

After such an event-filled, fun, but arduous few days, you half expect that a few days would be needed to recover.

Maybe for some but not, apparently, for the team from Brisbane Motor Auctions.

“We’re back to work the next day,” said Michael. “Last year we drove back from Port Douglas. That took us two days and that was with all the support cars and everything we had up there.

"We left on a Sunday and got back on a Tuesday night about 1am and we were back to work on Wednesday morning.

"We were a bit weary,” he adds with a chuckle. “But it’s a great experience.”

Find out more about the Queensland Great Endeavour Rally at great.endeavour.com.au Discover more about the Endeavour Foundation at www.endeavour.com.au

In conjunction with Brisbane Motor Auctions and Endeavour Foundation, MTA Institute of Technology (MIT) and Motor Trader is offering a lucky MIT apprentice the chance to win a place on the 2014 Qld Great Endeavour Foundation Rally's mobile workshop team.

If you are a 3rd or 4th year MITregistered Light Vehicle apprentice (have completed at least 50 per cent of course units) and aged over 18, then here's your chance to get stuck in and learn while supporting a great cause.

The all expenses paid prize includes all flights (if required), transport, accommodation and meals.

The winning apprentice will only have to bring camping gear, a great attitude to learn, a willingness to work long hours in unique locations, and be ready to have a great time!

All you need to do is tell us why you are the perfect candidate.

In 50 words or less, finish the following sentence and email your answer and your contact details to publications@mtaq.com.au

'I should be part of the Queensland Great Endeavour Foundation Rally Mobile Workshop team because . . . . . '

GOOD LUCK! The competition is open to third and fourth year (have finished at least 50 per cent of course units) MIT-registered Light Vehicle apprentices aged 18 or over at the time of the Rally.

Closing date for the competition is June 13, 2014. The Rally takes place from July 11th to July 19th, starting in Warwick and finishing in Bundaberg.

April 2014 Motor Trader | 25

E S S E N T I A L S

A PLACE ON THE 2014 QLD GREAT ENDEAVOUR RALLY'S MOBILE WORKSHOP TEAM AND TAKE PART IN THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME.

M E M B E R S

WIN

E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S

Member profiles

Bill Robertson Toyota

Graham Taylor Automotive Repairs Location: Biloela Type of business: Mechanical Number of employees: 6 Trading since: 2009 MTAQ member since: 2010

How did you hear about the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ)?

I have known about MTAQ since completing my apprenticeship more than 20 years ago.

What is the best thing about working in your industry?

Customer satisfaction - receiving cakes and cookies from the senior citizens is always a bonus.

How has being an MTAQ member benefited your business?

It gives us access to a great range of technical advice and keeps us compliant with industry standards.

What is the best piece of business advice you have ever given or been given?

No credit - unless you are over 90 and accompanied by both parents.

What has been your proudest business achievement to date?

My hardworking and appreciative staff.

Self Serve Auto Parts

26 | Motor Trader April 2014

What would you say to someone thinking about joining MTAQ? Do not hesitate to join! So much readily available advice on a wide range of things you need to know.

Location: Gladstone Number of employees: 50 Trading since: 1972 MTAQ member since: Longer than I can remember

What is the best thing about working in your industry?

The cars, they just keep getting better.

And people.

How has being an MTAQ member benefited your business?

Advice tailored to our industry helps us every day. Whether its industrial relations or compliance with legislation it is always reassuring knowing you are not on your own.

What is the best piece of business advice you have ever given or been given?

Keep trying.

What has been your proudest business achievement to date?

Still being in business! The market is always tough and we need to compete everyday.

What would you say to someone thinking about joining MTAQ? Go for it. It’s great value and it does an awesome job representing our industry to government and public.

Graham Taylor Automotive Repairs

Self Serve Auto Parts Location: Wacol Type of business: Wreckers Number of employees: 7 Trading since: 1998 MTAQ member since: 2004

How did you hear about the Motor Trades Association of Queensland? (MTAQ) Internet.

What is the best thing about working in your industry?

Meeting and connecting with people.

How has being an MTAQ member benefited your business?

Product knowledge, regulation and legislation updates.

What is the best piece of business advice you have ever given or been given?

Never lose money.

What has been your proudest business achievement to date?

Regular customer feedback on our great range of products, price and service.

What would you say to someone thinking about joining MTAQ? Well worth it!

April 2014 Motor Trader | 27

E S S E N T I A L S

Type of business: Toyota Dealership

How did you hear about the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ)?

I grew up in the business and we’ve always been a member.

M E M B E R S

Bill Robertson Toyota

Motor Trades Association of Queensland Industrial Organisation of Employers

Notice to Members The Queensland Industrial Registrar has issued a Decision, pursuant to the Industrial Relations Act 1999, that the Electoral Commission of Queensland conduct an election for the Motor Trades Association of Queensland Industrial Organisation of Employers. Nominations are called for the office shown below.

Office No. of Positions Division Committee Members for: Queensland Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers Division (QFIMDD) .................. 5 Queensland Motorcycle Industry Division (QMID) ..................................................... 5 Tyre and Undercar Division Queensland (TUDQ) ...................................................... 7 Australian Automotive Dealers Association Division (AADA(QLD)) .......................... 7 Automotive Engineers Division (AED) ..................................................................... 12 National Auto Collision Alliance (NACA) ................................................................... 8 District Representative for: Northern District ....................................................................................................... 1

Nominations close midday on Monday, 2 June 2014 Nominations

Nominations open on Thursday, 1 May 2014. All nominations must be in writing and signed by the nominee. Nomination forms must reach the Electoral Commission of Queensland no later than midday on Monday, 2 June 2014.

To be eligible to nominate for the position of Division Committee Member, the candidate must be a member of the Division.

To be eligible to nominate for the postion of District Representative, the candidate must be a member of the District.

An Eligible Member may nominate themselves or be nominated for more than one (1) office. Both the Eligible Member and the Member they are nominating for office must have been a Financial Member for a period of thirty (30) days prior to the opening date for nominations. Nominees and their nominating member or organisation should verify their financial status and other qualifications required by the Organisation’s rules before lodging a nomination form with the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Nominations may be received by means of hand delivery, post, facsimilie or any other electronic means. Nominees should ensure that their nomination is received by the Commission and can be clearly read. These forms are available from the Union, the Electoral Commission of Queensland or the Commission’s website; www.ecq.qld.gov.au If a candidate is elected to more than one (1) office, the Commission may only declare the candidate elected to the higher office.

Candidates who wish to withdraw their nomination may do so by written notice given to the Electoral Commission no later than Thursday, 10 June 2014.

Candidate Statements

Candidates may lodge a statement on a single A4 sheet supporting their election to each position sought. These statements are included with eligible members’ ballot material. Statements must be received by the Commission no later than the close of nominations.

Ballot

If there are more candidates than there are positions being elected, the Commission will take a secret postal ballot of eligible member organisations. Only member organisations that are financial 30 days before the day nominations open are eligible to vote in the election. The successful candidate/s will be elected by the first past the post voting system set out in the Association’s rules. Each member organisation is responsible for ensuring that MTA Queensland has their correct details recorded. A roll of voters is prepared from those records when nominations close. The ballot will open at midday on Wednesday, 25 June 2014 and close at midday on Wednesday, 16 July 2014.

Acknowledgement correspondence from the Commission will be sent via email.

Please ensure your email address has been provided on the nomination form.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION of QUEENSLAND

JACINTA HYNES Returning Officer 1 April 2014

Level 6 160 Mary Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 GPO Box 1393 BRISBANE QLD 4001 Telephone (07) 3035 8037 or 1300 881 665 Facsimile (07) 3221 5387 www.ecq.qld.gov.au

Motor Trades Association of Queensland Industrial Organisation of Employers

Nomination Form

Nominations close at midday on Monday, 2 June 2014 I

, the undersigned, being the authorised officer of

FULL NAME OF AUTHORISED OFFICER

which is a financial member of the

MEMBER ORGANISATION (AS SHOWN IN MTAQ RECORDS)

Motor Trades Association of Queensland, Industrial Organisation of Employers, do hereby nominate , to the office/s of:

NOMINEES’ FULL NAME

(Tick the box/es to indicate the

position/s of office that you are standing for election to)

Division Committee Member for: QFIMDD

TUDQ

AED

QMID

AADA(Qld)

NACA

AND / OR

District Representative for: Northern District

Address: Postcode Telephone: (Home)

(Business)

(Mobile)

Facsimile:

E-mail: Signature:

Date:

Consent to Nomination I, Mr/Ms/Other

COURTESY TITLE (OPTIONAL)

Trades

Association

, of

(completed by the nominee)

NOMINEE’S FULL NAME - as you want it shown on the ballot paper

Queensland

DIVISION NAME (if nominating for Committee Member)

Industrial and/or

an Eligible Member of the Motor

Organisation

of

Employers

DISTRICT NAME (if nominating for Representative)

from

the

do hereby agree

to be nominated and to act if elected.

Please show my name on the ballot paper as

NOMINEE’S NAME - as you want it shown on the ballot paper

Address: Postcode Telephone: (Home)

(Business)

(Mobile)

Facsimile:

E-mail: Signature:

Date:

Acknowledgement correspondence from the Commission will be sent via email. Please ensure your email address is provided.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION of QUEENSLAND

Level 6 160 Mary Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000 GPO Box 1393 BRISBANE QLD 4001 Telephone (07) 3035 8037 or 1300 881 665 Facsimile (07) 3221 5387 www.ecq.qld.gov.au

Investment matters

MARKET WRAP

I

N FEBRUARY, AUSTRALIAN equities rallied up 5.0% including dividends. Company results dominated news flow so this month we focus on some key lessons we learnt during the reporting season.

There was a disproportionate response to a small basket of mid cap stocks delivering strong revenue growth. Breville, Carsales, Seek, Realestate.com.au, Domino’s Pizza and Flight Centre all delivered strong results and enjoyed share price increases of between 20-40%. However, the market’s valuation of these stocks appears to be dangerous, as the prices can only be justified by assuming their growth rates continue indefinitely.

The housing sector has finally responded to lower interest rates.

Feedback from Boral, Stocklands, Lend Lease and others confirmed that the housing sector remains strong in NSW, is improving in Queensland and has remained surprisingly healthy in Victoria. Given a decade of undersupply, particularly in NSW, we think the uptick has further to run.

This will be driven by a more favourable approvals process from sympathetic governments in NSW and Queensland, as well as the RBA seeking to stimulate an economy at risk from the resource slowdown.

It should have been expected that financial service companies exposed to an improving equity market will display strong results. Nonetheless the level of inflows into fund managers are improving significantly and this creates strong profit leverage to the bottom line.

The extent that these flows can continue will be partially dictated by equities performance but also by historically low interest rates which offer a miserly alternative. The fact that many investors

30 | Motor Trader April 2014

“THE MARKET IS NOW ANTICIPATING GROWTH THIS YEAR OF AROUND 12%.” globally are underweight equities following years of poor performance will also support future flows.

While top line revenue growth has been a key focus of the market this reporting season, we have also seen a number of companies announce major cost out programs. Revenue growth is not the only way to deliver profit growth and indeed cost cutting can often be more under management control. While the market generally reacted positively to those companies announcing major cost out programs, they tended not to see the re-rate that companies delivering top line growth enjoyed.

While the market is focused on the near term outlook for iron ore prices, the major resource companies are making good progress taking out costs and reducing annual capex. The focus has clearly moved from a “grow the volumes at any cost” to “drive productivity improvement”. Patient shareholders will be rewarded by this shift. While the short term direction of iron ore prices and sentiment is difficult to predict, the longer term direction looks better.

Not surprisingly, when you read the above cost cutting program from the major resources players, it is very difficult for the mining services players. We saw downgrades from leaders such as ALS and Boart Longyear. However we note there was some short covering in instances where the companies had managed expectations down successfully coming

into the reporting season. Nonetheless the backdrop remains difficult in most segments as capex is wound down.

Banks delivered strong results with bad debts much lower than the market expected. While there is no sign of a deterioration in bad debts some caution is warranted given the bad debts are well below long term averages for most banks (with the exception of NAB and BOQ). We also note CBA’s underlying profit growth appears to be tracking better than peers reflecting their very strong franchise.

In summary, the reporting season was characterised by soft top-line revenue growth, however was offset by cost out initiatives to improve productivity.

Nevertheless, February proved to be the best reporting season for some time, with 60% of companies beating analyst expectations and the market upgrading profit forecasts by 1%.

The market is now anticipating growth this year of around 12%, and the strength this reporting season was important to confirm the market is on track to deliver this profit growth.

DISCLAIMER This document provides general information only and is not intended to be a recommendation to invest in any product or financial service mentioned above.

Investment in a Dalton Nicol Reid individually managed account can only be made on completion of all the required documentation.

Whilst Dalton Nicol Reid has used its best endeavours to ensure the information within this document is accurate it cannot be relied upon in any way and recipients must make their own enquiries concerning the accuracy of the information within.

Code of ethics

ETHICAL PRACTICE THE CODE TO SUCCESS T HE MOTOR TRADES Association of Queensland (MTAQ) is the peak body representing the interests of employers in the retail service and repair sectors of Queensland’s automotive industry.

Over its 85-year history, the Association has worked to promote and protect the interests of the industry to ensure its long-term, viable future.

The MTAQ lobbies and influences policy development, providing a voice for members at the highest levels of government, while also offering members access to a number of services including advice on business, legal concerns, industrial relations and technical matters.

“AN ELEMENT OF

THE MTAQ/MEMBER PARTNERSHIP IS THAT EACH MEMBER ADHERES TO THE CODE OF ETHICS.” Over those 85 years, the MTAQ has built up a substantial public presence and its name and logo has become a sign of trust for the public - an indication that Member businesses share the Association’s standards for ethical and honest business practices.

A visible partnership with the MTAQ is a sign the public consider when deciding with whom they do business.

An element of the MTAQ/Member partnership is that each member adheres to the Code of Ethics, a document that forms the basis for the publics’ trust when dealing with a member of the MTAQ. It sets out the standard for behavior that MTAQ members must follow and is a critical component of MTAQ membership.

THE MTAQ CODE OF ETHICS MTA QUEENSLAND MEMBERS' GENERAL COMMITMENTS • Treat customers fairly and honestly.

• Conduct all business dealings with customers and fellow MTA Queensland members in a professional and ethical manner.

• Make full and frank disclosure of written statements and terms to customers in legible, plain English.

• Present products for sale in a clean and customer friendly environment of a high standard.

• Provide a firm quote or best estimate for products and services requested.

If estimate is provided, follow up with firm quote once costs are quantified and gain approval to proceed.

• Contact customers in advance for any additional needed or recommended products or services.

• Establish in advance payment preference via convenient and efficient choices for products or services to be invoiced.

• Have an effective disputes handling process in the event of a customer complaint involving products or services provided.

MTA QUEENSLAND MEMBERS' STATUTORY COMMITMENTS • Abide by Government regulations in respect to Statutory Laws and Warranties and guaranteed clear title for any vehicle offered for sale.

• Abide by Industry Codes of Practice.

• Abide by Australian Standards in respect to parts supplied and workmanship quality.

• Abide by new Advertising ‘Clarity in Pricing’ Act 2008 regulations.

April 2014 Motor Trader | 31

Industry insight

SETTING TARGETS FOR PROFITABILITY B REAK-EVEN SALES IS the amount of sales you need to make to avoid a loss i.e. to achieve a $0 profit or loss result.

Obviously the objective of business isn’t to break-even, but to make a profit and avoid losses.

What we often hear though, is that many businesses don’t know their break-even point and therefore don’t set targets weekly/monthly to ensure they are profitable.

A great start to profitability is to know what your break-even point is. Once you know this, you can use it as a basis for setting your targets of profitability. You can give each salesperson, division or team individual targets to achieve overall profitability.

Break-even is impacted by fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs are those that you incur all the time, e.g. rent, admin wages, telephone etc. Variable

costs are those incurred in making a sale, e.g. a product and associated costs like freight inwards, packaging etc.

If you’re selling a service it’s labour and materials on the job.

When you’ve calculated variable costs per product or job you then calculate gross margin. For example if a product costs $40 (including all costs associated with getting the product ready for sale) and you’re selling it for $100, gross margin is 60 per cent.

Now you need to know fixed costs.

Let’s say they are $30,000 per month.

To work out break-even sales - take fixed costs of $30,000 divided by gross margin of 60%, which gives a figure of $50,000.

This is your monthly break-even total sales. If your average product sale is $100, divide the total sales break-even figure of $50,000 by your average sale of $100 to come up with a figure of 500 units to breakeven. In simple language

this means you have to sell 500 units per month at $100 to break-even.

Now you know your break-even, use this as a basis for setting targets to achieve your desired profit. For example: with every additional unit you sell above the break even volume of 500 units, you will make $60 profit, which is the gross margin per unit of sale. Therefore if you target to make $6000 profit you will need to sell an additional 100 units.

To download a simple calculator tool to work this out please go to http://info. cfooncall.com.au/break-even-calculator

CFO On-Call is a team of Financial and Business Advisors, who work with open-minded people committed to business growth and achieving success.

For a no obligation FREE chat about your profit growth opportunities please call us on 1300 36 24 36 or visit www.CFOonCall.com.au

MTA QUEENSLAND WELCOMES THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS Business Name

Principal/s

Address

Email

Division

Audi West Brisbane

Grant Searle

256 Moggill Rd INDOOROOPILLY Q 4068

accounts@audiwestbrisbane.com.au

AADA

Beaudesert Collision Repairs

Colin Blanford

10 Doug Sullivan Court, BEAUDESERT Q 4285

colin@beaudesertcollision.com.au

NACA

Big Stuff

Charles Johanson

7 Courageous Court CLEVELAND Q 4163

chucky@havocvs.com.au

UCD

Boundary Street Automotive

Thomas Sheridan

127 Boundary Street RAILWAY ESTATE Q 4810

Thomas-sheridan@hotmail.com

AED

Caltex Bellbowrie

David Evans

3198 Moggill Road BELLBOWRIE Q 4070

davidevans@baragill.com.au

SSCSAQ

Caltex William Street

Sharyn Clarke

158 William Street ROCKHAMPTON Q 4706

Sharynclarke72@bigpond.com

SSCSAQ

Central Queensland Motorsport

Richard Guse & Shakira Opitz

34 Chapple Street GLADSTONE Q 4680

info@cqmotorsport.com.au

AED

Hertz Mt Isa

Terry Dowling & Alison Bohannan

38 Fourth Ave MT ISA Q 4825

Hertzmt.isa@bigpond.com

RVID

Hylands Panelworks

Brian Granatelli

8 Endeavour Street MACKAY Q 4740

office@hylandpanelworks.com.au

NACA

Jimboomba Smash Repairs

Stephen Litzow

22/24 Tamborine Street JIMBOOMBA Q 4280

mlitzow@bigpond.net.au

NACA

Jacksons Mower Centre

Raymond Stocks

15 Victoria Street MACKAY Q 4740

jmcm@mackay.net.au

QFIMD

MB Automotive Fleet Specialists Pty Ltd

Matthew Bolger

1 Hamill Street GARBUTT Q 4814

Rachael@mbautomotive.com.au

AED

Oxenford Service Centre

Warren Woods

50 Siganto Drive HELENSVALE Q 4212

Oxenford.servicedesk@bigpond.com

AED

Select Panel & Paint

Brian Littlejohn

25 MacAuley Road EMERALD Q 4720

selectpanelpaint@bigpond.com

NACA

TRANSFERS Business Name

Principal/s

Address

Email

Division

Planet Smash Repairs

Matthew & Julianne Denscow

49 Premier Circuit WARANA Q 4575

admin@planetsmashrepairs.com.au

NACA

32 | Motor Trader April 2014

Vehicle Specific, No Compromise.

If you thought all glow plugs were the same, you’d better think again: on closer inspection, you’ll see that glow plugs come in a variety of shapes and also differ in terms of properties and materials.

All NGK Glow Plugs are designed to suit the specific requirements of each individual make and model to ensure that your customers’ engines perform at their optimum.

• Have a long service life • Offer the latest in high-technology for today… …and tomorrow Installing a set of NGK glow plugs will ensure your engine runs quietly and smoothly and that it’s kinder on the environment too, thanks to the promotion of clean combustion and lower toxic emissions.

Additional benefits include: To find out more about NGK Glow Plugs call 1300 55 40 59 or visit www.ngk.com.au

NCANGK/259

• Start engines quickly and smoothly • Offer an excellent post-glow function

The indusTry super fund for The auTomoTive indusTry.

www.mtaasuper.com.au motor Trades association of australia superannuation fund pty Ltd (aBn 14 008 650 628, afsL 238 718) is the Trustee of mTaa superannuation fund (aBn 74 559 365 913). you should consider whether or not mTaa super is appropriate for you. The mTaa super product disclosure statement (pds) can be obtained by calling us on 1300 362 415. you should consider the pds in making a decision.