Motor Trader e-magazine, December 2024 - January 2025

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MTA QUEENSLAND

INDUSTRY MEETINGS

MTA QUEENSLAND hosts quarterly industry meetings for:

› AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOTIVE DEALER ASSOCIATION (NEW CAR DEALERS)

› AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS DIVISION (MECHANICAL REPAIRERS)

› AUTOMOTIVE PARTS RECYCLERS DIVISION (PARTS RECYCLERS)

› USED CAR DIVISION (USED CAR DEALERS)

› ENGINE RECONDITIONERS ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND (ENGINE RECONDITIONERS)

› NATIONAL AUTO COLLISION ALLIANCE (PAINT & PANEL / TOW TRUCKS)

› QUEENSLAND FARM & INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DEALERS DIVISION (FARM & INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY)

› QUEENSLAND MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY DIVISION (MOTORCYCLES)

› RENTAL VEHICLE INDUSTRY DIVISION (RENTAL VEHICLES)

› SERVICE STATION & CONVENIENCE STORE ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND (SERVICE STATIONS)

› TYRE & UNDERCAR DIVISION OF QUEENSLAND (TYRES, BRAKES, SUSPENSIONS)

The Agenda topics include:

› robust discussions around the priorities of the Division,

› issues that need to be directly presented to government and submissions,

› skilling needs,

› membership representation,

› technical and educational updates, and

› innovation opportunities.

The industry meetings can be attended in-person at MTA Queensland or online. The meetings are open to members and non-members, but we strongly encourage membership to ensure all member benefits are available.

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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

Evangeline Kannis

POLICY

Kellie Dewar, Deputy CEO MTA Queensland

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Email: jonathann@mtaq.com.au

EDITORIAL

Editorial submissions are welcomed but cannot be guaranteed placement. For more information email the Editor at publications@mtaq.com.au

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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.

MTA QUEENSLAND ABN: 74 028 933 848

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From the Editor

JONATHAN NASH EDITOR

HELLO AND WELCOME

to the final edition of Motor Trader for 2024.

In this edition, we focus on the MTA Queensland Industry Awards Gala, held in November, which recognised the talents and achievements of members and apprentices from across the state.

As always, the evening was terrific fun and made even more so this year thanks to special guest Will Brown. The 26-year-old recently scored his first Supercars championship title and he was in great form as he chatted with Awards Gala host Ben Davis and mingled with other guests.

Motor Trader was fortunate to be able to catch up with Will after the Awards Gala and you can watch or listen to that interview by clicking HERE.

As happens every year, the finalists in the six award caegories - the Community Award, Innovation award, Women In Industry Award, Small Business Award, Large Business Award, and Apprentice of the Year

Award - were all outstanding and any one of them would have been worthy winners in their categories. However, only one name could claim the prize and congratulations goes to Wheelnutz Garage (Community Award), Maryborough Service Centre (Innovation Award), Barbara Sparrow (Women In Industry Award), Highfields Mechanical (Small Business Award for Excellence), Auto Parts Group (Large Business Award for Excellence), and Kye Robinson from BMAS Biloela, who picked up the coveted Apprentice of the Year Award. You can read more about the Award Gala from page 12. There's plenty more in this edition, of course, including our Q&A feature - which this month sees Motor Trader chat with Mandy and Allan Crack from Best Price Auto Workshop on the Gold Coast - and in our Auto News section we have articles on new vehicle launches from Zeekr, Aston Martin, Hyundai, and TWR, and take a look at Jaguar and its recent moves to get everyone excited as it nears the launch of its electric vehicle line-up.

I hope you enjoy this month's edition. I wish you all a most wonderful Christmas and New Year.

See you in February!

Cheers

Jonathan Nash, Editor jonathann@mtaq.com.au

MEMBER’S CLASSIC

Search for MTA Queensland

INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS SPARKING SCHOOL STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN AUTOMOTIVE

HYUNDAI’S HYDROGEN FCEV CONCEPT

MTA Q&A: BEST PRICE AUTO WORKSHOP

From the Desk of Management

ROD CAMM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

QUEENSLAND

WHAT A YEAR!

2024 may go down as MTA

Queensland’s biggest ever.

We have achieved amazing success in collaboration with our members and, as a result, it is pleasing that we continue to grow as an organisation. Thank you to our members for their support. The costs savings we have achieved for you are simply stunning.

The year culminated in our 2024 Industry Awards Gala, held on Saturday, 23 November. It was a night to remember, bringing together the best of the best for an evening of celebration and recognition. The event honoured the exceptional contributions of business owners, entrepreneurs, and apprentices, showcasing their dedication to excellence across the industry.

Hosted by Channel 7’s Ben Davis, the gala featured an evening of great fun and entertainment and was heightened by special guest speaker Will Brown, the newly crowned 2024 Repco Supercars Champion. Will’s presence electrified the room and added an extra thrill to the already festive atmosphere.

The awards recognised outstanding achievement in six categories: Community, Innovation, Women in Industry, Small Business Excellence, Large Business Excellence, and Apprentice of the Year. Congratulations to all finalists and winners - full details can be found from page 12.

The evening concluded with the announcement of the Apprentice of the Year, awarded to Kye Robinson from BMAS Biloela. Kye was presented with a 191-piece tool kit from Repco and an incredible opportunity to work alongside the Penrite Racing team for an immersive, week-long experience at their Braeside workshop in Melbourne, thanks to the generous support of Gates Corporation. We look forward to following Kye’s promising career in future editions.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our platinum event sponsors - BUSY AT Work, Capricorn, CareSuper, and Gates Corporation - whose support made the evening possible.

As the year draws to a close, we’d like to thank all our members for their continued support. Wishing everyone a safe and joyful holiday season. Merry Christmas!

KELLIE DEWAR DEPUTY CEO | GENERAL MANAGER MEMBER SERVICES

MTA QUEENSLAND IS thrilled to announce an exciting new collaboration with TradeMutt, the social workwear brand renowned for its bold designs and its commitment to raising awareness about mental health in the blue-collar community.

Together, we’re launching a custom work shirt for the automotive industry, with an eye-catching design that represents all vehicle types and sectors. Whether you work in a dealership, workshop, as front-of-house staff, or in the office, we’re inviting all our members to join in on the growing movement of Funky Shirt Friday. This fun initiative encourages open conversations and aims to break down the stigma surrounding mental health - an issue that’s too often left unspoken. And we believe this shirt is the perfect way to start that conversation.

Our campaign tagline, “Don’t Shut the Bonnet on It,” is a clever reminder that, just like a car, your mental health needs regular check-ups and attention. Wearing a TradeMutt shirt at work is a simple yet powerful way to show your support for mental health awareness and help keep the conversation going. By participating, you're actively contributing to a culture where mental health is no longer overlooked but openly discussed.

Find out how you can get involved on page 32.

But that’s not all - we’re also excited to introduce fresh new membership signage for MTA Queensland! As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the member experience, these new signs will allow you to proudly showcase your affiliation with the peak body representing Queensland’s automotive retail, repair, and service sectors. Expect your new signage packs to arrive in late 2024/2025! We encourage all members to display these signs proudly, reinforcing your commitment to the industry and the MTA community.

As we approach the holiday season, we’d like to take a moment to thank you for your continued support throughout the year. Wishing you and your team a joyful Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Here's to more exciting initiatives in 2025.

Are you getting the most out of your Membership?

MTAQ members have access to a Commonwealth Bank Relationship Manager who can arrange for you to receive information on:

• For your eftpos – a Commonwealth Bank Relationship Manager can provide information on the Least Cost Routing options.^

•

Everyday banking solutions including business accounts and eftpos terminals.

• Funding options including Business Credit Cards, Car and Equipment Finance and Business Loans.

These solutions may help you manage cash flow and expand your business.

To find out how Commonwealth Bank can help your business move forward, contact MTAQ on 07 3237 8777 or email info@mtaq.com.au and they’ll put you in touch with a Commonwealth Bank Relationship Manager.

MTA |Q&A

Mandy & Allan Crack have been running Best Price Auto Workshop on the Gold Coast since 2019. However, their involvement in the automotive industry runs back many years and includes working on some truly classic vehicles. Motor Trader caught up with the couple at the workshop to discuss their journey and the Best Price Auto business.

WHAT PRODUCTS & SERVICES DO YOU OFFER AT BEST PRICE AUTO WORKSHOP & WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS?

AC: We do everything from normal servicing, oil changes, tyre rotations and brakes all the way through to mechanical rebuilds.

We work on a lot of old vehicles and at the moment we have a 1974 Cadillac on which we are doing a full engine rebuild; there’s an MG which we are bringing up to roadworthy specification; an MGA that had a bad engine misfire when it came in; and a Morris Minor – which is Mandy’s car – on which we are doing a complete rebuild. We have built a reputation for the work we do on these older cars.

Mandy & Allan Crack, owners of Best Price Auto Workshop on the Gold Coast

“WE DO EVERYTHING FROM NORMAL SERVICING, OIL CHANGES, TYRE ROTATIONS AND BRAKES ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO MECHANICAL REBUILDS.”

WHY DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN CLASSIC CARS?

AC: Mainly because I was brought up on them in New Zealand. I basically did my apprenticeship on Minis, Austin 1100s, Vauxhall Vivas – a lot of English stuff –and I never got away from them. I’ve also worked on American cars too, with plenty of Mustangs over the years and Impalas too.

Before we bought this business, I worked at what was the BP garage here. The boss had both a classic car workshop and a workshop for ordinary cars and I started work in the classic car workshop. I was there for a year or so before moving to work on the regular cars.

When the owner decided to sell, we

bought that business - Best Price Auto.

A lot of cars have come in to fill up at the petrol station next door, and the drivers have seen three or four older cars sitting here and have come over and started asking questions. I’ve had people ask about whether we know anything about the Hillman Minx, a Sunbeam Tiger, Talbots and Minis and Mini Mokes – and we do!

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE INDUSTRY AND HOW DID YOU COME TO OWN BEST PRICE AUTO?

AC: I started as a 15-year-old in Invercargill and worked as a mechanic. We came over here for the second time 18 years ago and I think I had six jobs in that first year. I then saw an advert wanting someone that knew their way around older cars. I thought that sounded pretty cool and that was at the BP garage and workshops here.

MC: The owner, David, would go on to sell the service station and the premises, and we bought the Best Price Auto business in 2018. The new owners of the location then said there was going to be a demolition, so we moved a couple of doors down and

The team at Best Price Auto work on all makes and models of cars, but have a reputation for their work on older and classic cars.

MTA | Q&A

were there for three years. Then this unit came on the market. We bought it and have been here for 12 months.

Before we bought Best Price Auto, I did a couple of different jobs, including working in a bank, but buying the business was a huge step. We knew about the workshop, of course, and it was established, but we had never owned a business and we really didn’t know too much. But we jumped in and were ready to sink or swim.

AC: Since then, we have gone from two mechanics in the workshop to four, and have two people working in the office.

WAS IT A CHALLENGE TO MAKE THE MOVE TO BECOMING BUSINESS OWNERS?

MC: Those first few months were scary. We were busy but there were also quiet patches. Then COVID came along and we thought ‘What have we done!?’ But then we just got busier.

AC: I think it was April 1 when they had the shutdown here in Queensland and we arrived at work and thought, ‘We’ll get some cleaning done at least.’ Then the phone kept ringing and people began dropping cars off and were shouting across the driveway that they needed an oil change or new brakes!

Now we are always busy, have grown our staff numbers and things are going well.

WHO IS ON THE BEST PRICE AUTO TEAM?

MC: Tony and Bailey are our fully qualified technicians while Sage is our first-year apprentice. Allan is on the tools in the workshop, and I work in the office. We also have Tabatha who works with us three days a week.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MEMBERS OF MTA QUEENSLAND AND WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BENEFITS OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP?

AC: We have been members since we

WE KNEW ABOUT THE WORKSHOP, OF COURSE, AND IT WAS AN ESTABLISHED BUSINESS, BUT WE HAD NEVER OWNED A BUSINESS, AND WE REALLY DIDN’T KNOW TOO MUCH. BUT WE JUMPED IN AND WERE READY TO SINK OR SWIM.

bought the business. The previous owner was a member too.

We have used MTA Queensland’s services a few times and the information has been

very valuable. There were some legal matters that we rang up about – we didn’t know, for example, what to do with a couple of vehicles that were abandoned with us.

vehicles. We do service hybrids, but not the electrical side of them - that is a specialised job. There is a lot involved working on them and our workshop is not big enough to cater for them.

I’ve been to meetings regarding EVs and because of issues with battery storage and safety, I thought to myself that with more than 500 workshops on the Gold Coast, the other 499 can have them! Enough people will be working in that space. There are going to be petrol and diesel vehicles until I retire, and I would rather do those and more classics.

WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING DO YOU DO WITH YOUR TEAM?

AC: Bailey and Sage are learning to actually fix things! If you put 20 mechanics in a room today and asked them, ‘In the last year how many heads have you taken off?’, there’d be one, maybe two who could answer. Sage has been with us not quite 12 months and he has already done two diesel heads and four petrol heads. We train on the job, work through things together and, depending on what it is, I’ll show them what can go wrong, what are the tolerances, how to fix it and so on. It’s on-site training.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGES AS AN OWNER OF AN AUTOMOTIVE MECHANICAL WORKSHOP BUSINESS?

MC: And the workplace relations team is good too. We have used them a couple of times regarding previous staff members. MTA Queensland has its members best interest at heart, and they have your back.

DO YOU THINK ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR BUSINESS AND ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THAT?

AC: We don’t work on fully electric

MC: We have heard about the skills and workforce challenges, but we have been OK. We have had a couple of staffing issues, but we are very fortunate with the staff we have now. We all look after each other. They are family and not just numbers.

Our biggest challenges are some of our customers! Because the economy and costof-living challenges are bad, some don’t necessarily want to hear what you have to tell them.

You have to explain to them exactly what is happening and 90 per cent of our customers are great. But there are a few

that can really affect your day.

As we have become more established we have stopped ‘people pleasing’, and won’t commit to doing half a job. Someone might come in and say something like ‘If we just do this, that’ll fix it, won’t it?’ Well, no it won’t, and we don't want them to have come back a few days or weeks later because an issue was only partially repaired. It is our reputation on the line too and we want to do a job properly.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG YOU STARTING OUT IN THE INDUSTRY?

AC: Don’t be scared to have a go, because I was.

MC: We did start late. We had a chance to open up a business in New Zealand, but we didn’t do it. You have to jump in, but you can’t be naïve about it. I knew Allan was a good mechanic, and I knew the business we were buying had reasonable clientele and there was work on the books.

So don’t be scared, look into everything and check everything, and play to your strengths.

IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER, LOCAL, AUTO BUSINESSES?

AC: Absolutely, and we have a really good

“YOU HAVE TO HAVE NEW CUSTOMERS COME IN AND REGENERATE AND NEVER LET YOURSELF GO STALE. THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.”

network around us. There’s Goodyear down the road that does our tyres; we have Labrador Autos that do our electrical work; AAA CV joints who do our CV joints; and AAA Trimming do our trim work. We send them work, they send us work, and we all bounce off each other.

MC: We are all happy to help each other and I think, in this day and age, that is vital.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

AC: Consolidate what we have and grow as a business.

MC: You have to have new customers come in and regenerate and never let yourself go stale. There’s always room for improvement no matter what you do.

The team at Best Price Auto Workshop: Mandy and Allan. Sage, Tony, and Bailey

THE MTA QUEENSLAND Industry Awards Gala was held on November 23 at the W Hotel in Brisbane. More than 200 guests were in attendance, including MTA Queensland members; industry stakeholders; and friends, family, and colleagues of award finalists as the industry gathered to celebrate the achievements and dedication of business owners, entrepreneurs, and apprentices across Queensland’s automotive sector.

Hosted by Channel Seven’s Ben Davis, the evening was tremendous fun and attendees were treated to something extra special this year, with the newly minted Repco Supercars Champion Will Brown a special guest and happy to be part of a wonderfully entertaining event.

Will was joined by his parents, Shane and Leanne - owners of the Cars Galore dealership in Toowoomba and long-time

members of MTA Queensland.

Seeing the family together at the Gala, and hearing Will talk about his journey to the Supercars title, was pretty special for us here at Motor Trader. It was way back in 2015 when we first spoke with Will and his parents. At the time, he had just made his mark on the track with a race win in the inaugural season of Australia’s Formula 4 championship. Watching his progress since then has been special for everyone at MTA Queensland.

Kicking off the evening's festivities was Rod Camm, CEO of MTA Queensland. In his address, Mr Camm highlighted the work of the Association and the MTA Institute during the year.

He highlighted the partnerships with other organisations, noting the relationships with CareSuper, Capricorn, Gates Corporation, and Repco that had,

MTA QUEENSLAND THANKS PLATINUM SPONSORS CAPRICORN, SPIRIT SUPER, BUSY

Rod Camm, MTA Queensland CEO

Special guest Will Brown with members of the MTA Queensland Board

“MORE THAN 200 GUESTS WERE IN ATTENDANCE . . . TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEDICATION OF BUSINESS OWNERS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND APPRENTICES ACROSS QUEENSLAND’S AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR.”

amongst other things, resulted in new and extremely popular career expos that are helping industry tackle ongoing skills and workforce shortages, as well as events and experiences that give apprentices a taste of the exciting careers available in the industry.

Mr Camm also noted the ongoing focus on training. MTA Queensland and the MTA Institute deliver high-quality

training to around 3000 apprentices across Queensland. The organisations also offer a wide range of opportunities for those in industry to gain new skills, as well as polish and update their current skills – something which is vital for an industry that is evolving and developing so rapidly. Training opportunities will, said Mr Camm, be expanded, including offering more options for regional Queensland.

Other issues highlighted by Mr Camm included the Association’s advocacy work and developments such as the EV-Ready program, which will see suitably capable businesses be promoted and recognised by MTA Queensland as being able to offer electric vehicle services.

The highlight of the Industry Award Gala is, of course, the reason for which it is held – recognising the talent and dedication of those within the industry with the

Repco Supercars Champion Will Brown with Gala host, Channel Seven’s Ben Davis

presentation of the business awards and the announcement of the MTA Queensland Apprentice of the Year.

The business awards cover five categories - the Community Award, Innovation Award, Women in Industry Award, and the Small and Large Business Awards for Excellence.

The 2024 business award winners are:

COMMUNITY AWARD

THE COMMUNITY AWARD was presented to Wheelnutz Garage, a business that has truly made its mark in promoting diversity and inclusion within the automotive industry. Known for offering hands-on experiences for individuals with disabilities, Wheelnutz Garage also launched the “Torque it Out” initiative, providing vital mental health support to men in the South Brisbane area. The company’s tireless efforts to foster an inclusive and supportive environment make it a deserving recipient of this award.

INNOVATION AWARD

THE INNOVATION AWARD was awarded to Maryborough Service Centre, a standout business renowned for its commitment to technological

“. . . WHEELNUTZ GARAGE ALSO LAUNCHED THE “TORQUE IT OUT” INITIATIVE, PROVIDING VITAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO MEN IN THE SOUTH BRISBANE AREA.”

advancement. A three-time winner of the Repco Authorised Service – Service Centre of the Year award, Maryborough Service Centre continually raises the bar with its investment in employee training, smart inspection tools, and ADAS calibration equipment. The company’s forward-thinking approach positions it for sustained success.

MTA QUEENSLAND THANKS PLATINUM SPONSORS CAPRICORN, SPIRIT SUPER, BUSY AT WORK, AND GATES FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE INDUSTRY AWARDS GALA

Shannon McCarthy and Anton Kelleners from Wheelnutz Garage accept the Community Award from Naomi Dunne of Youngcare

1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" DR. METRIC/AF (RTK29100) $3399

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARD

BARBARA SPARROW, Service Manager at Mike Carney Toyota in Townsville, was honoured with the Women in Industry Award. A proven leader, Barbara manages a diverse team of 89 and has spearheaded initiatives to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Her exceptional leadership has not only elevated her team but has also had a profound impact on the industry as a whole.

SMALL BUSINESS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

THE SMALL BUSINESS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE was presented to Highfields Mechanical, an independent workshop based in Toowoomba. Known for its unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and a forwardthinking approach to business operations, Highfields Mechanical stands out as a regional leader. The company’s focus on staff development, exceptional customer service, and active community engagement earned it this well-deserved recognition.

LARGE BUSINESS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

AUTO PARTS GROUP (APG) took home the Large Business Award for Excellence, after achieving a remarkable 20 per cent year-over-year growth. The company’s success was driven by strategic initiatives, including employee development programs, facility expansions, and the launch of an innovative recycled product line. APG’s dedication to operational efficiencies and cutting-edge technology set a new benchmark in the industry.

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD

THE COVETED APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD went to Kye Robinson, a light vehicle apprentice at BMAS Biloela. The 21-year-old, who is near to finishing the third year of his apprenticeship, has shown tremendous commitment to, and passion for, the industry, and has developed technical expertise and skills that set him apart as a future leader.

While Kye has plenty of skills and dedication, these were not, it seems,

Daryn and Petrina Brims from Maryborough Service Centre accept the Innovation Award from James Forno

of Gates Corporatioin and Kellie

MTA QUEENSLAND THANKS PLATINUM SPONSORS CAPRICORN, SPIRIT SUPER, BUSY

(right)

Dewar (left), Deputy CEO of MTA Queensland

Craig Baills from Highfields Mechanical accepts the Small Business Award for Excellence from Jason Murray, CEO of CareSuper

enough to make him confident of taking out the top prize. In fact, when his name was announced as the recipient of the Apprentice of the Year Award, he seemed genuinely shocked and literally speechless.

“I was shocked, absolutely, I did not think I in the picture, to be honest,” he said of the moment his name was called. “I thought I would be OK as I am usually pretty good at public speaking, but it didn’t work out that way. I was too shocked.”

Women in Industry Award winner Barbara Sparrow accepts the award from Cassandra Horan from BUSY At Work

hours south-west of Gladstone.

Encouraged by event host Ben Davis, Kye settled in to answer some questions and enjoy his win and the prospect of some of the magnificent prizes that come with the title of Apprentice of the Year. A few days on, and things have returned, just about, to normal, although his award win has made some news in Biloela, located 1.5

“I didn’t think I was in with a shot, and I just felt really privileged to be able to go down there [to the award night] and to be a nominee. I was more than happy with that, so to come out with the win was just incredible,” said Kye.

“I am back to regular work now, but Biloela is a small town, and I have been out on a few jobs and a fair few people have said congratulations, which has been nice.”

As to what may happens down the track

Michelle Urquhart from Auto Parts Group accepts the Large Business Award for Excellence from Rod Camm, CEO of MTA Queensland and Jason Murray, CEO of CareSuper

BUSY AT WORK, AND GATES FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE INDUSTRY AWARDS GALA

now that he has such a prestigious award under his belt, Kye remains level-headed about his ambitions.

“To be honest, I might like to go into a management position, and while I realise I am only an apprentice at the moment, I do really enjoy mentoring our first-year apprentices,” he said. “I really enjoy that side of it. Don’t get me wrong, I love being on the tools as well, but I really enjoy teaching . . . maybe a leading hand position someday would be good.”

Winning the Apprentice of the Year Award will see Kye claim some rather special prizes on top of the recognition that comes with such a prestigious award. He will receive a 191-piece toolkit, courtesy of Repco, and the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the Penrite Racing team – one of the Repco Supercars championship’s top teams - thanks to Gates Australia. That opportunity will see

“THE MTA INSTITUTE DELIVERS TRAINING TO MORE THAN 2,500 STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND TO BE NAMED APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR REALLY IS AN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT.”

Kye spend a week at the Penrite team’s Melbourne workshop.

While the 12 finalists were all outstanding, Kye was a worthy winner of the award said Marcello Riotto, Director of the MTA Institute.

“The MTA Institute delivers training to more than 2,500 students across the state, and to be named Apprentice of the Year really is an outstanding achievement,” said Marcello.

“The judges could see the tremendous ability Kye has, as well as his focus and commitment to his training, to his employer, and to the industry. I am certain he will be both an outstanding ambassador for the industry and a tremendous future leader.

“As I do with all our apprentices, I look forward to following Kye’s career and seeing where it will lead him.”

RAISING FUNDS

AN IMPORTANT PART of the MTA Queensland Industry Awards Gala is fundraising on behalf of Youngcare, the Association’s official charity partner.

Youngcare aims to create a future in which young people with high care needs are able to live their lives with dignity through the provision of appropriate supported housing, as well as advocating for policy change, delivering grant programs, and providing other services.

MTA QUEENSLAND THANKS PLATINUM SPONSORS CAPRICORN, SPIRIT SUPER, BUSY

Apprentice of the Year Award winner, Kye Robinson

A WILL TO WIN WILL BROWN, QUEENSLAND’S 2024 SUPERCARS CHAMPION

IT’S NOVEMBER 16, 2024, and in Adelaide, the final round of the Supercars season is about to get underway. Up near the front of the starting grid is Will Brown, the 26-year-old from Toowoomba who is about to embark on what is arguably the most important race of his career in Australian motorsports most prestigious series.

As championship leader, and with just the two races in Adelaide to complete, he is the favourite to take his maiden driver’s championship title. However, there’s a chance that, should things not go his way, then he could be pipped at the post by rival and Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Broc Feeney. It’s all building up to be a pressure-filled Race One through Adelaide’s street circuit.

Fast forward a couple of hours and Will has taken second place – another podium position in a stellar season – and has claimed the championship.

A day later he puts in an extraordinary performance to claim victory in a wild and incident-filled Race Two that saw him fall from third position to dead last before

THERE’S A LOOK OF COMPLETE JOY ON HIS FACE . . . IT’S EVERY YOUNG RACING FAN’S DREAM COME TRUE, AND WILL BROWN IS LIVING IT.

fighting his way back to claim the win.

As victor, Will adds to the celebrations after Race Two by completing a bonkers, tyre-ripping burnout for the fans before grasping the trophy, leaping onto the roof of his Chevy Camaro and holding his prize aloft in triumph.

There’s a look of complete joy on his face . . . it’s every young racing fan’s dream

Will Brown, Queensland’s 2024 Supercars Champion

Credit: Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool

come true, and Will Brown is living it.

Three weeks on from that incredible moment and Motor Trader has rocked up to the Cars Galore dealership in Toowoomba to catch up with Will who is back at his ‘day job’ selling cars at the family business. We are here to chat about his extraordinary season, how it feels to carry the title of Supercars Champion, and his journey from a young whiz-kid racing karts to the man who conquered the peak of Australian motorsport.

Taking that title is, Will says, a pretty special feeling, one that began to sink in the day after securing the championship and as he enjoyed those wild celebrations, but which has, three weeks later, still to settle in completely.

“After day two was just an amazing moment,” he says. “I think I’ll remember that for the rest of my life, just

standing on top the car . . . It was just a surreal moment. It takes a while to set in and I still don't think it's completely sunk in. You know, I’m back at work, and selling cars and doing all that - I'm not living on a beach or a tide! But it's pretty cool.”

Will’s motorsport story began in 2011 when, aged just 13, he began racing karts and immediately demonstrated exceptional skill. His success in securing numerous junior championships laid the foundation for a spectacular rise through the ranks and categories of motorsport.

In 2015, he transitioned to single-seater racing, competing in the inaugural CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship with Team BRM. His potential for racing in the big shows was clearly showcased here – he won three of the 15 races that season, earning the Rookie of the Year title.

The following year was a banner one, with Will’s career gaining significant momentum. He clinched the Australian Formula 4 Championship and simultaneously dominated the Toyota 86 Racing Series, securing both titles in 2016a rare achievement.

He ventured into the Dunlop Super2 Series – Supercars’ development series – in 2017 with Eggleston Motorsport and once again proved to be a formidable competitor, winning the Mike Kable Young Gun Award as a standout newcomer. He continued to impress in the series, achieving a breakthrough victory in Perth in 2019.

In 2019, Will branched out to race in TCR Australia Series with HMO Customer

Credit: Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool

Credit: Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool

Racing. He dominated the inaugural season, securing seven wins and clinching the championship title in his Hyundai i30 N TCR, underscoring his adaptability across different racing formats.

His consistent performances caught the attention of top-tier teams, leading to his debut in the Supercars Championship. In 2021, he joined Erebus Motorsport and proved his ability to mix it with the big guns of the sport when he secured his first Supercars race win at Sydney Motorsport Park, becoming the first rookie to win a race since 2013.

In 2024, Will took a significant step by joining the all-conquering Red Bull Ampol Racing Team. His inaugural season with the team was, as we now know, spectacular as he clinched the Supercars Championship title.

Throughout the season, Will demonstrated remarkable consistency, achieving 19 podium finishes in 24 starts and, according to the Supercars website, spent nearly 54 per cent of all race laps in the top three and recorded a 79 per cent podium hit rate. Astonishing stuff.

While Will naturally takes the plaudits

and the recognition from the fans and the media, it is worth noting that no one can win a motorsport series without the backing and support of a team of people behind the scenes – something Will is happy and keen to acknowledge. From mechanics to engineers to team managers and others, it’s a team effort to give him the tools to perform at his best and win races.

If you go back a few years, that support network was, almost exclusively in the early days, Will’s parents, Shane and Leanne.

As many would know, it is through his parents and their business, Cars Galore, that Will has a connection with MTA Queensland. The dealership is a long-time MTA Queensland member, and it is Shane and Leanne who played a vital role in Will’s development as a racing driver.

“IT IS AMAZING, BUT IT DOESN'T JUST FEEL LIKE I'VE DONE WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND I AM ALL SORTED . . . YOU ALWAYS WANT TO IMPROVE . . . YOU ALWAYS WANT TO WIN MORE THINGS.

For Shane - who effectively was Will’s engineer, mechanic, coach, employer and financial backer for many years – watching his son reach the peak of the sport, fulfil a childhood dream, and see out the season by winning that wild final race was something special . . . and a BIG relief.

“I'll be honest . . . It was just relief!” he says when asked about how he felt when Will had secured the championship after the first race in Adelaide.

“It was such a relief. That last month, I couldn't sleep at night. It was terrible leading up to it! I was just restless. You're thinking about what can go wrong. It just starts creeping in . . .”

However, the memory of Will’s victory, particularly in that last race, does now bring a smile to Shane’s face.

“. . . he went from looking like being one of the real front runners - I thought he would beat them and win at the start – but he gets turned around, is dead last, and then makes his way back through and wins the race, and gets to do all the burnouts for the crowd . . . people said to me ‘What just happened?’ and I said, ‘It's magic’. That’s the only way you could describe it, just true magic.”

After years of supporting his youngest son's racing dream – support which led to some stressful times and financial decisions that would include offloading a handful of classic cars from his collection – Shane looks on at Will’s success with some satisfaction and acknowledgement that pressures are now easing.

“What hits me is how hard it has beenon the family and everything – it has been unbelievably difficult, the highs and lows . .

Credit: Mark Horsburgh / Red Bull Content Pool

. ,” he says. “When people say to me, ‘I want my son to do what Will has done’, I think ‘Poor bastards’! It's hard work . . . It's happened over a long period and it's certainly an extremely difficult thing to go through and do.

“Actually, the funny thing is, it has helped me realise how easy work is! What I used to think was a big problem, now it’s just nothing!”

Working at Cars Galore with his dad and family is something Will enjoys and will continue to do, and he is looking at other business interests – which have nothing to do with motorsport – as well. However, Supercars and racing will be the major feature of his life for many years to come.

But having achieved his boyhood dream of becoming Supercars champ at the age of just 26, where to now? What is the next goal?

“It is amazing, but it doesn't just feel like I've done what I wanted to do and I am all sorted,” says Will. “You always want to improve . . . you always want to win more things. It's in your blood. That's what you do.

“So, I want to go out there and try and back up my championship next year. It's going to be tough, but that's what I want to do . . . I guess the fire doesn't stop burning - you want to do more things and win more races.”

• Click the link on the video graphic above to watch the interview with Will Brown.

NEW ARRIVAL

MTAQ LAUNCHES CUSTOM WORK SHIRT TO DRIVE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

MTA QUEENSLAND HAS launched a new custom automotive work shirt in partnership with TradeMutt, the popular workwear brand famous for its eye-catching designs that promote mental health among the blue-collar community.

Created by tradies for tradies, this automotive-themed work shirt stays true to TradeMutt’s signature style. It features a bold and colourful design showcasing a variety of tyre patterns set against a backdrop of winding roads (and potholes) that capture the true Aussie spirit.

More than just a stylish addition to your wardrobe, every shirt purchased provides support and awareness for TIACS (This Is A Conversation Starter), a vital mental health initiative offering free counselling for tradies, truckies, farmers, and other blue-collar workers.

Key Features of the Shirt:

• Y.N.W.A on the pocket

A reminder that “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

• “This is a Conversation Starter” on the back yoke Highlighting the shirt’s purpose; to start a conversation.

• “Don’t Shut the Bonnet on It” slogan on the back yoke

A clever automotive play on words to promote mental health awareness.

• QR code under the pocket flap

Linked to TIACS free mental health counselling services.

In an effort to make this an industry-wide initiative, MTA Queensland encourages all automotive stakeholders to get involved and participate in Funky Shirt Fridays. Created by TradeMutt to change the culture surrounding mental health, Funky Shirt Fridays have become a growing trend in workplaces across Australia. This initiative not only fosters a sense of community but also reinforces the important message of mental health awareness.

“We are proud to partner with TradeMutt to create a product that benefits the wider automotive community,” said Rod Camm, CEO of MTA Queensland.

“We want every person across the industry to get involved

and wear these outrageously funky shirts every Friday to encourage meaningful conversations. Mental health is a vital issue, particularly in the blue-collar sector and through this collaboration, we aim to foster a culture of openness and support.”

“At TradeMutt, we believe that workwear can do more than just provide protection; it can also spark meaningful conversations about mental health,” added Ed Ross, Co-Founder of TradeMutt

“This partnership with MTA Queensland allows us to extend our reach and ensure that every shirt sold contributes to crucial mental health services for workers who often feel they have no one to turn to.

“TradeMutt was created to start conversations about mental health. By wearing a TradeMutt shirt to work, the invisible issue of mental health becomes impossible to ignore. So, get involved, grab a shirt, and share the message.”

The new automotive work shirt is available for purchase through MTA Queensland’s online shop, making it easy for automotive professionals to support a worthy cause while upgrading their work attire.

Join us in making a difference - together, we can drive mental health awareness across the automotive industry. For more information and to purchase the custom automotive work shirt, please click HERE.

For those seeking support, TIACS is available Monday to Friday from 8am to 10om AEST. Simply text or call 0488 846 988 to connect with someone who understands.

VIDEO: MTAQ X TRADEMUTT CUSTOM WORK SHIRT FOR AUTOMOTIVE

KEY AUTO TRADES INCLUDED IN NEW MIGRATION SKILLS LIST

MTA QUEENSLAND, IN partnership with the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA), applauds the Australian Government’s decision to include key automotive trades in the revised Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL). This marks a significant step in addressing the ongoing workforce shortages within the automotive sector.

Effective from 7 December 2024, the updated CSOL recognises nine essential automotive trades as eligible occupations under the new Skills in Demand visa and the Direct Entry stream of the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa. These include:

• Diesel Motor Mechanic (321212)

• Automotive Electrician (321111)

• Panel beater (324111)

• Vehicle Painter (324311)

• Motor Mechanic (General) (321211)

• Vehicle Body Builder (324211)

• Vehicle Trimmer (324212)

• Motorcycle Mechanic (321213)

• Small Engine Mechanic (321214)

“This is a major win for the automotive industry," said Rod Camm, MTA Queensland CEO. "The inclusion of these essential occupations highlights the acute skills shortages facing our sector and

“THIS IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WHEN INDUSTRY VOICES ARE HEARD AND SUPPORTED BY ROBUST ECONOMIC EVIDENCE . . .”

offers a critical pathway to addressing the ongoing workforce challenges."

This successful outcome follows extensive advocacy by MTAA and MTA Queensland, underpinned by a thorough economic analysis conducted by Deloitte Access Economics. The landmark report, which drew directly from the experiences and insights of MTA members, played a pivotal role in illustrating the urgency of addressing skills gaps in the automotive sector.

“The government’s decision reflects their understanding of the challenges raised by our members,” said Mr. Camm. “This is a clear example of what can be achieved when industry voices are heard and supported by robust economic evidence. It’s a win for the entire sector and an important step in securing the workforce of the future.”

The inclusion of these trades in the CSOL is a response to significant workforce shortages that have been impacting the automotive industry, particularly in key areas across Queensland and nationally.

"The comprehensive submission, which included detailed wage data and industry-specific insights, clearly demonstrated the pressing need for skilled automotive professionals in Australia," added Mr Camm.

The CSOL forms a key component of the government's reformed temporary skilled

migration programme and will operate alongside the new Skills in Demand visa, which replaces the previous Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa.

MTA Queensland will continue to work closely alongside MTAA and other industry and regulatory bodies to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms. The collaboration will be crucial in monitoring the effectiveness of these changes and ensuring that the sector’s workforce needs are met.

LANDMARK RECOGNITION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE TECHNICIANS

ALONG WITH ADVOCATING for the updated CSOL list, the MTAA, in partnership with MTA Queensland and other state associations, successfully secured formal recognition for Electric Vehicle (EV) Technicians.

From 6 December 2024, EV Technicians will have their own occupation classification (code 351434) under the Australian Government's Occupation Standard Classification (OSCA). This recognition marks a significant milestone in supporting Australia's transition to electric vehicles by officially acknowledging the profession within the national framework for reporting occupation data.

"This is more than just an administrative change - it's a fundamental recognition of how rapidly our industry is evolving," said Matt Hobbs, MTAA CEO. “The new

classification marks an important step for Australia's automotive sector.

"With the exponential growth in electric vehicles across Australia, this classification provides the framework our industry needs to develop a skilled workforce capable of supporting Australia's automotive future."

The MTAA said the new classification will enable standardised training programs across Australia and provide clearer career pathways for automotive technicians specialising in electric vehicles.

“Electrified, high-voltage vehicles are here to stay and make up an ever-growing number of the vehicles on our roads. Formally recognising Electric Vehicle Technicians with their own occupation classification just makes sense as our industry absorbs and embraces electrified vehicle technology,” said Marcello Riotto, Director of the MTA Institute.

“The automotive industry has always moved and adapted to new tech, and there are many now developing the skills and building the experience to maintain and service electrified vehicles. This occupation recognition will help to clarify and inform our own work as the MTA Institute continues to build a highly skilled and professional workforce through our many short and online EV training courses, and the delivery to apprentice of the AUR32721 Certificate III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology.”

MTA QUEENSLAND WELCOMES ADR REVIEW

MTA QUEENSLAND WELCOMES the Australian Government’s decision to launch an independent review of the Australian Design Rules (ADRs). It as a critical opportunity to modernise regulations, eliminate

unnecessary barriers, and foster innovation across Australia’s vehicle market.

MTA Queensland supports the Government's decision to focus the review on addressing key challenges in the supply of electric and low-emission vehicles,

which are in growing demand as Australia shifts towards a more sustainable transport fleet.

“We commend the Government for taking the crucial step of initiating this independent review. It is vital for ensuring a competitive, future-focused market that meets the evolving needs of Australian consumers,” said Rod Camm, MTA Queensland CEO.

“In working alongside the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) and other industry partners, MTA Queensland is committed to ensuring the views and interests of our members are well represented throughout this process.”

hurdles to ensure a smooth transition.

The goal of the review is to ensure Australia’s vehicle standards evolve to better support consumer choice, drive price competition, and encourage technological innovation in the automotive sector. The review aims to assess whether Australia’s current ADRs align with international standards, identify areas for improvement, and streamline the adoption of globally harmonised rules.

The review comes at a critical time, as the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) approaches. With manufacturers preparing their product strategies for the Australian market, it is vital to remove unnecessary regulatory

“THIS REVIEW PRESENTS A TIMELY OPPORTUNITY TO REASSESS WHETHER THESE STANDARDS REMAIN NECESSARY OR IF MORE EFFICIENT, GLOBALLY ALIGNED ALTERNATIVES COULD STREAMLINE PRODUCTION WHILE STILL ACHIEVING SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES.”

“As the global shift toward electric vehicles and cleaner technologies continues, aligning the ADRs with international standards is key to supporting Australia’s path to net-zero emissions,” said Mr Camm.

“While harmonisation offers significant benefits, it’s important to balance this with the need for locally tailored standards. If these standards are overly complex, they can drive up compliance costs for manufacturers, which may be passed on to retailers and consumers.”

“This review presents a timely opportunity to reassess whether these standards remain necessary or if more efficient, globally aligned alternatives could streamline production while still achieving safety and environmental objectives.”

MTA Queensland will work closely with MTAA and other state and industry bodies throughout the review process. By collaborating on shared goals and priorities, MTA Queensland will ensure that the views and needs of its members are represented in discussions that shape the future of the Australian automotive market.

To find out more about this review and have your say on ADR harmonisation, please visit the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts website HERE . Submissions are open until 24 January 2025.

QUEENSLANDERS MAKE AN IMPACT AT WOMEN IN COLLISION AWARDS

IN EARLY DECEMBER, Australasian Paint & Panel magazine announced the finalists in the five categories of its upcoming Women In Collision Awards.

Amongst those finalists are plenty of Queenslanders, including MTA Queensland members and apprentices:

• Shari Agnew, Sommerville Smash Repairs

• Anne McClure, McClure Refinishing

• Amanda Ramsay, Fix Auto Gladstone

and GM of Member Services. Kellie said she was hugely honoured to be on the shortlist for the prestigious award.

• Helena Willmot, Willmot Smash Repair Specialist

• Kylie Kennedy, Fortress Collision Repair Services

• Lily Welsh, Advance Auto Accident Repair Centre

Also named as a finalist in the Industry Supplier Representative category is Kellie Dewar, MTA Queensland’s Deputy CEO

“This recognition is a reflection of the hard work, passion, and support of all the wonderful people I've had the privilege of working with in this incredible industry,” she said. “To be alongside such talented and inspiring women is truly humbling. Congratulations to all the other finalists, especially our MTA Queensland members, who continue to lead with passion and excellence.”

The winners of the Australasian Paint & Panel Women in Collision Awards will be announced in on February 14, at an event in Sydney. Click HERE for more details.

FEEDBACK WANTED AS MTA QUEENSLAND LAUNCHES EV READY PROGRAM

MTA QUEENSLAND IS establishing EV Ready, a program designed to set a minimum standard for automotive businesses that service and repair electric vehicles.

Participating businesses will be recognised by Queensland Government Electrical Safety Regulators and the

community as appropriately qualified and equipped to work on electric vehicles.

To ensure we’re meeting the needs of the industry, we’ve created a consultation form to gather feedback from Queensland automotive businesses directly impacted by this initiative.

We encourage all members to complete the survey HERE and share their insights. Thank you for your participation!

Kellie Dewar

VIDEO: BRAD FLANAGAN, DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY INITIATIVES

NEW SIGNAGE AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL NOW AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS

AS PART OF MTA

Queensland’s mission to support members, the Association has developed new signage that members can use to promote their businesses.

The new signage represents an opportunity to enhance credibility, attract new customers and foster trust through clear association of a business with MTA Queensland and its requirements that members uphold professional standards and values.

WE ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO DISPLAY THESE SIGNS PROUDLY, REINFORCING YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE INDUSTRY AND THE MTA COMMUNITY.

Displaying the signage prominently provides an unmistakable endorsement of a business's quality, shows the public that the business is part of a trusted network, and differentiates it from non-member competitors.

Some members have already received their new signage and are proudly displaying it at their businesses. For those who have yet to receive it signage, you can expect it to arrive later this month or early in 2025.

We encourage all members to display these signs proudly, reinforcing your commitment to the industry and the MTA community.

BENZINA ZERO SIGNS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH BEAM GLOBAL

BRISBANE-BASED BENZINA

ZERO - a leading supplier of electric scooters, bikes and micro-mobility solutions - has signed an international distribution agreement with Nasdaq listed Beam Global.

The agreement will see Benzina Zero market Beam Global’s products in Australia and Italy, while Beam Global will integrate Benzina Zero e-mopeds, e-scooters and e-bikes into its product bundles globally.

Notably, this will see Benzina Zero’s Duo rugged e-mopeds integrated into Beam Global’s BeamWell desalination and delivery platform which is designed to provide clean water and renewable electricity in regional and remote communities as well as global crisis zones. The Duo mopeds will be used to transport clean drinking water and supplies.

While a link-up between the two companies was announced a while ago, the new agreement is, said Benzina Zero cofounder Joe D'Ercole, a major development for the company.

“This is an important day for both Benzina Zero and Beam Global. We’ve agreed to open new sales channels internationally by featuring each other’s products in sales efforts which includes Beam Global bundling our e-mobility solutions with products BeamBike and BeamWell.

“The other exciting aspect of the partnership is BeamWell’s introduction to their existing customers and prospects globally, particularly in Africa and the Middle East where the need for highly resilient and sustainable mobility solutions is growing rapidly.”

A rendering of the BeamWell platform

CEO of Beam Global Desmond Wheatley said his company’s partnership with Benzina Zero is a step forward in addressing the unique challenges of off-grid charging in Australia while also expanding its reach into the European market.

“Benzina Zero’s deep understanding of local needs and strong presence in both Australia and Italy make them an ideal partner to bring our innovative charging solutions to a wider audience. We are already including their e-mobility solutions in several meaningful opportunities which we are advancing in Europe and Africa.

“Together, we are creating sustainable solutions that empower essential services and open new possibilities in the most demanding environments. This collaboration underscores Beam Global’s commitment to exploring creative business opportunities and finding new ways to increase sales without added overhead costs.”

Auto innovation news

HYUNDAI AND KIA UNVEIL

WEARABLE ROBOT TECH

HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY and Kia Corporation have unveiled the ‘X-ble Shoulder’ – an ‘industrial wearable robot’ device designed to increase workers’ efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal injuries.

The companies say the X-ble Shoulder can reduce shoulder load by up to 60 per cent and anterior/lateral deltoid muscle activity by up to 30 per cent. It generates assistive force through a muscle compensation module via a patented multi-link structure. Each link in the multi-link can be adjusted to deliver the bestassistive force in various work environments. The module is expected to perform around 700,000 folding and unfolding actions yearly in industrial settings.

The X-ble Shoulder comes in two versions: basic and adjustable. The companies say the basic version is best for tasks where the posture is not fixed and continues to change and offers up to 2.9kgf (kilogram-force) of assistive force. The adjustable version, for tasks that repeat

“THE X-BLE SHOULDER IS A WEARABLE ROBOT THAT LEVERAGES THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES OF THE ROBOTICS LAB AND IMPLEMENTS FEEDBACK FROM ACTUAL USERS.”

the same movement, allows users to set the angle for maximum torque based on their work posture, providing up to 3.7kgf of assistive force.

The X-ble Shoulder carbon composite material and wear-resistant material used in high-end vehicles. The parts that directly touch the user’s body are designed to protect against bodily injury that can occur in industrial sites by applying impact-resistant material.

The X-ble Shoulder, the first product in what the companies are calling its X-ble line, is expected to find use in various industries, including construction, shipbuilding, aviation and agriculture, not just automotive. Following its domestic launch, the Hyundai and Kia plan to gradually expand sales to

VIDEO: THE WEARABLE ROBOT X-BLE SHOULDER'

overseas markets.

In addition to the X-ble Shoulder, the companies plan to develop an industrial wearable robot ‘X-ble Waist’ to assist the waist when lifting heavy loads, and a medical wearable robot ‘X-ble MEX’ for the rehabilitation of the walking impaired.

“The X-ble Shoulder is a wearable robot that leverages the technical capabilities of the Robotics LAB and implements feedback from actual users,” said Dong Jin Hyun, Vice President and Head of Robotics LAB at Hyundai Motor and Kia. “Going forward, we aim to expand the availability of wearable robots, creating products that work naturally with users to enhance their daily lives. By pushing technological boundaries, we will make these beneficial products accessible to more people.”

GOODYEAR UNVEILS SUSTAINABLEMATERIAL TYRE

AS A STEP on its path to introduce a 100 per cent sustainable-material tyre by 2030, Goodyear has unveiled an ElectricDrive Sustainable-Material (EDS) Tyre at November’s 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE).

Goodyear says the EDS tyre is engineered specifically for EVs, and is made with recycled and bio-based materials, including carbon black sourced from end-of-life tyres and recycled polyester. Available in China

from this month, Goodyear say the tyre will be available in other Asia Pacific markets from the first quarter of 2025.

TO MORE THAN 25,000 PEOPLE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE MOTORING INDUSTRY (website or e-magazine options)

GM TO JOIN FORMULA 1 IN 2026 WITH CADILLAC TEAM

GENERAL MOTORS IS to enter the Formula 1 fray in 2026 with the Cadillac brand.

In a statement, the company said that it, along with partner TWG Global, had reached an agreement in principle with Formula 1 regarding it joining the series and added that it is also launching an F1 power unit that will put the Cadillac Formula 1 Team on the path to being a ‘full works’ team — building its own F1 vehicles and power units — by the end of the decade.

an F1 team will also highlight the Cadillac brand to a diverse international audience, showcasing GM’s technology and design capabilities.’

Cadillac would be the first new team to join F1 since 2016 and the eleventh team on the grid.

The company says that innovations created for F1 will contribute to GM’s push to ‘drive the future of transportation, leveraging advanced electrification, powertrain, software, and internal combustion engine technology for consumers around the globe. Launching

SAUDI BRAND

“As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”

TEAMS UP WITH RIMAC ON HIGH-PERFORMANCE EV SYSTEMS

CEER, SAUDI ARABIA’S first electric vehicle (EV) branD, has signed a partnership with Rimac Technology for the supply of high-performance, fully integrated Electric Drive Systems (EDS) for its upcoming flagship range of EVs.

This partnership with Ceer signifies a further evolution of the Rimac Technology business from limited-volume, highperformance applications – including the Rimac Nevera, Pininfarina Battista, Aston Martin Valkyrie and Koenigsegg Regera – to large-scale projects. Earlier this year, Rimac Technology revealed a long-term collaboration with the BMW Group to supply high-voltage battery systems to its passenger cars and has signed multiple agreements for mid-to-large volume

European OEM projects.

"The collaboration with Ceer further solidifies Rimac Technology's global electrification ambitions," said Mate Rimac, founder of the Rimac Group. “This year alone we’ve announced several key partnerships, including with the BMW Group and Ceer, which will result in the production of tens of thousands of electric drive systems and battery systems for leading OEMs worldwide. With more exciting projects in the pipeline, we’ve strategically invested in our production facilities in Croatia, including the Rimac Campus and supporting infrastructure, which will soon be operating at full capacity.”

Rendering of potential Cadillac F1 car

We wish all our members and industry stakeholders a wonderful festive period and a well-earned break! Looking forward to a prosperous 2025.

THE INTERVIEW

WITH ADRIAN PARKES FROM ADAS SOLUTIONS AUSTRALIA

ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE

Systems (ADAS) are the integrated software and hardware - such as radar, lidar, and camera sensors -that work together to enable features like lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control.

The integration of ADAS in new vehicles presents significant challenges for the automotive repair and maintenance industry. If any of the hardware is misaligned then the system can misinterpret road conditions, leading to false alerts, or worse. Automotive businesses need to understand ADAS for this critical safety reason.

However, there are other reasons for businesses to really get a grip on understanding ADAS. These factors include legal and regulatory compliance, insurance, customer expectations, and business reputation. ADAS systems are part of every new vehicle, and this means that, at some point, every automotive business is going to have to deal with them. So, what are the options that business owners should be considering?

In a recent episode of The Motor Chronicles, editor of Motor Trader, Jonathan Nash, sat down with Adrian Parkes, founder of ADAS Solutions Australia, to talk all things ADAS.

Adrian’s company, ADAS Solutions Australia, offers diagnosis, repair, calibration, coding, programming, and initialisation of ADAS components –think radar, lidar and cameras, amongst others - and also sells diagnostic and ADAS calibration tools and equipment. It

has centres located across the country –including in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia – and more than 40 technicians in its team delivering its services.

Through its partnership with MTA Queensland, ADAS Solutions Australia also delivers training courses enabling automotive professionals to get a good grasp of ADAS technology.

With his decades of experience within the automotive industry both in Australia and internationally and having worked with ADAS technologies for nearly 20 years, Adrian’s interview with The Motoring Chronicles covers a variety of ADAS-related topics. From the technology to training and equipment, from requirements for becoming an ADAS calibration provider to issues of insurance and more, the interview gives real insight into this growing sector of the automotive industry.

CLICK ON THE VIDEO LINK TO WATCH AND/OR LISTEN TO ADRIAN’S INTERVIEW.

Member’s classic

TRAILBLAZER

Ellyse Woodward and her husband Woody own Ellwood Motorcycle Adventures in Cairns. Together they manage a fleet of more than 50 dirt bikes and road bikes, taking their clients on tours throughout remote Australia and around the world. In her spare time, Ellyse competes in motorcycle races including the iconic Finke Desert race in Central Australia. Motor Trader visited Ellyse at her shed on the Northern beaches of Far North Queensland to hear the story behind the bikes that she treasures the most.

WORDS & IMAGES : LARA WILDE

SOME PEOPLE WORK in the automotive industry. Others, like Ellyse Woodward, have made their passion for the industry their career, their business and their life.

“My dad Kevin raised me with motorbikes,” says Ellyse. “He is 73 years old now and he still rides every single day. He is my inspiration to keep fit and riding. When I was 19 years old, dad gave me my Suzuki. It was the first registered motorcycle I had ever owned.”

That Suzuki is a definite eyecatcher. Built in 1969, the T250 Hustler has a Sixspeed gearbox to drive the 247cc, two-stroke engine. When launched, the Hustler was a road bike that many consider put Suzuki on the map. The peaky motor has a sweet spot between 5,000 and 8,000rpm delivering a comfortable cruising speed of 110km/h on the highway.

“In 2009, my dad bought the Suzuki from an old friend of his who had restored it as a part of his collection of lovely bikes,” says Ellyse. “It was in excellent condition and because it had road registration, dad and I could ride together on vintage bike rallies throughout New South Wales. I never win awards at the rallies with the Hustler though because dad’s other bikes always win!”

Over the last 15 years, Ellyse has taken the

Ellyse Woodward

1969 Suzuki T250 Hustler

THAT SUZUKI IS A DEFINITE EYECATCHER. BUILT IN 1969, THE T250 HUSTLER HAS A SIXSPEED GEARBOX TO DRIVE THE 247CC, TWO-STROKE ENGINE.

Hustler all over Australia and in that time, she has done very little to the Suzuki.

“I haven’t done a lot apart from ride it really,” she says. “It was in good condition when I got it. I don’t think I have even filled the oil tank up on it. It is super-efficient and starts first kick every time. She fouls plugs here and there just like any old two-stroke and I recently cleaned the carbies out and gave her a

tune up. It runs like an absolute beauty! I will never sell this bike; it means so much to me.”

Despite giving the Hustler the bare minimum of attention, Ellyse does have

Member’s classic

plans for it in the future. On the list is a new paint job and a clean-up of the chrome trim to make her look like new.

“If I could turn back time I would have kept her in better condition, taken it out to ride a little more often, and maybe even put it in my lounge room the way that dad keeps his bikes in the house,” she says.

In 2018, Ellyse earned the title of Queen of the Desert, finishing as the fastest woman in the Tatts Finke Desert Race and being the 291st person to cross the finish line in a field of 650 male and female competitors.

“I grew up riding and racing motorcycles,” she says. “The Tatts Finke Desert Race was by far one of the toughest things I have ever done.”

The year before Ellyse and the team headed to Alice Springs to compete, she went shopping with her dad on Facebook Marketplace.

Together they bought a 1974 Yamaha RD350 in Yeppoon with the plan to restore it to her dad’s standard and have it in Cairns for Kevin to ride when he came to visit his daughter. Those plans have fallen short though.

“The Yamaha needs a bit of work,” says Ellyse. “It needs a new master cylinder as it has leaked, and brake fluid has ruined the

1974 Yamaha RD350

“50 YEARS AGO, WHEN THE TWOSTROKE, AIR COOLED, PARALLEL TWIN YAMAHA ROLLED OFF THE FACTORY FLOOR, IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST BIKES OF THE 1970S.”

paint and O-rings. I would like to repaint it and do the chrome and get it looking a little nicer.

“The wiring needs to be cleaned up and generally I just need to ride it more. These old bikes don’t like to sit for too long and, being in Cairns, the bikes struggle a little in the humidity.”

With a fleet of more than 50 motorcycles,

Member’s classic

finding time to ride the Yamaha can be a struggle.

50 years ago, when the two-stroke, air cooled, parallel twin Yamaha rolled off the factory floor, it was considered to be one of the best bikes of the 1970s. The RD initials in RD350 stood for ‘Race Developed’, building on the racing heritage inherited from the TZ350.

With almost 40 ponies at 7,500rpm, the RD350 was a serious contender in its prime, earning the nickname “The Giant Killer” for its nimble handling and overall performance against much bigger machines.

“THE GOAL IS TO GET HER CLEANED UP AND RESTORED TO DAD’S STANDARD AND THEN ENTER HER IN SOME SHOWS AND ENJOY HER.”

The Yamaha brought with it the innovation of ‘Autolube’ - providing automatic oil injection and saving the rider from having to mix the petrol with two-stroke oil. A six-speed gear box, disc brakes on the front and an efficient reedvalve intake system made the Yamaha seem ahead of its time in the mid 1970s. Today it is a sought-after collector’s edition for the old-school lovers of road-racing two strokes.

In between running a global adventure motorcycle tour company, successfully competing in bike races and contributing as a valued member of the motorcycling community, Ellyse hopes to have time to give the Yamaha the attention it deserves.

“The goal is to get her cleaned up and restored to dad’s standard and then enter her in some shows and enjoy her,” she says.

With the Hustler and the Yamaha polished and restored, Ellyse and her dad Kevin can finally get some father/daughter time to enjoy their shared love of motorcycles and explore the Far North Queensland roads. Ellyse will just need to find time in her busy schedule and stay as fit and healthy as her dad with daily bike rides.

ZEEKR 009 MPV NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER Auto news

PREMIUM ELECTRIC MOBILITY

brand Zeekr has announced the launch of the Zeekr 009 MPV into the local market. The second model available from the Chinese brand is available in two variants – a 7-seat AWD (2+2+3 configuration) and a 6-seat AWD (2+2+2 configuration).

Priced at $135,900 plus on roads for the 7-seat AWD (2+2+3 configuration) and $139,900 plus on roads, you do get a lot of vehicle for your money.

PRICED AT $135,900 PLUS ON ROADS FOR THE 7-SEAT AWD (2+2+3 CONFIGURATION) AND $139,900 PLUS ON ROADS, YOU DO GET A LOT OF VEHICLE FOR YOUR MONEY.

Technologically advanced, the AWD Zeekr 009 is 5209mm long, 2024mm wide, and 1812mm tall. Energy comes from a 116kWh battery, while power comes via 450kW/693Nm dual motors. Range is claimed at 686km (NEDC) or 582km

(WLTP) and there’s enough oomph here to push the people mover from 0 to 100km/h in 4,5 seconds. That’s quick!

A 4-00-volt architecture means recharging of up to 205kW is possible at a DC fast charger, seeing a 10-80 per cent charge done in around 30 minutes. There’s a Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) functionality. Double wishbone suspension is fitted up front while there is multi-link all-aluminium rear suspension. There’s dual chamber air suspension with electromagnetic Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD). The Zeekr 009 sits on 20-inch alloy wheels in Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres.

A luxurious interior that the company says offers, ‘a serene and expansive interior designed for passengers to work, relax, and unwind.’

A ‘lounge chair’ mode allows passengers to fully extend their legs while they sit in the comfort of Nappa leather upholstery, and enjoy heating, ventilation, and massage functionalities. Also inside, there’s a 15.05-inch 2.5K OLED central touchscreen alongside a 17-inch 3K OLED rear entertainment display, delivering an experience enhanced by a 30-speaker

Yamaha surround sound system.

The Zeekr 009 integrates a 10.25-inch full HD instrument cluster, a 35.95-inch AR Head-Up Display, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates. Through the Zeekr app, the company says that owners can access real-time vehicle status and remotecontrol features, providing connectivity to their vehicle from anywhere.

Other tech in the Zeekr 009 include vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 50W phone wireless charging, USB ports in all three rows plus much more.

Safety features include a 7-airbag system - including front-centre and curtain airbags - and a long list of driver assistance features including Adaptive Cruise Control, Adaptive Front-lighting System, Automatic Lane Change, Automated Parking Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Digital Video Recorder (DVR) w/128GB mem, Forward Collision Warning, Forward Collision Mitigation, Front Cross Traffic Assist, Lane Centring Control, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Parking Assist System, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, 360 Visual Park Assist . . . and so on. The list is comprehensive. Now open for pre-order the Zeekr 009 is priced from $135,900 plus on roads for the 7-seat AWD variant and $139,900 plus on roads for the 6-seat AWD model.

Zeekr 009 MPV

ASTON MARTIN VALHALLA SUPERCAR TO ARRIVE IN 2025

IT HAS BEEN a while, but Aston Martin has finally launched its hypercar monster, the Valhalla.

First revealed in 2021, Valhalla has inched its way to production form and lands, as it did in 2021, offering performance that comes in part from the technologies of Formula One. And that power and those performance figures are pretty stunning.

At its heart, the AWD Valhalla boasts a 794kW/1100Nm hybrid powertrain comprising a 4-litre twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8 engine busting out 609kW, with three electric motors - two of which drive the front axle - contributing a further 185kW. An 8-speed DCT transmission - which incorporates the third e-Motor and an electronic rear differential (E-diff) - sends drive to the rear axle. There’s a 6.1kWh high-voltage battery.

Performance sees the 0-100km/h sprint competed in 2.5 seconds with top speed limited to 350km/h and that performance is aided by aerodynamics that were sculpted with input from Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) – the consulting arm of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. Active

A BEAUTIFUL-LOOKING MACHINE, THE VALHALLA SPORTS FORWARDHINGED DIHEDRAL DOORS FOR THAT SUPERCAR FLAIR WHILE, INSIDE, THERE’S THE TASTE OF FORMULA ONE.

aerodynamics generate in excess of 600kg of downforce.

Integrated Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVC) electronics monitor suspension, braking, steering, active aerodynamics and powertrain systems to achieve optimal performance.

On start-up, Valhalla selects Sport mode as default, with the driver able to manually select Pure EV, Sport+ and Race as alternative drive modes. Each mode has its own combination of settings for powertrainincluding Torque Vectoring and hybrid system integration - plus suspension stiffness, active aero, and steering calibration. In pure EV mode, drive is from the front-axle motors only with that 6.1kWh battery enabling a range of 14km and a top speed limited to 140km/h.

The mid-engine two-seater Valhalla has a carbon fibre tub. Aluminium subframes are attached front and rear of the

Aston Martin Valhalla

tub. The front-end features Formula One style push rod front suspension complete with inboard mounted springs and dampers. The rear is built around a five-link suspension system. 410mm Carbon Ceramic (CCB) discs on the front axle and 390mm on the rear provide the stopping power.

A beautifullooking machine, the Valhalla sports forwardhinged dihedral doors for that supercar flair while, inside, there’s the taste of Formula One. There’s carbon fibre everywhere, including carbon fibre seats, and raised footwells for a low hip-to-heel seating position. The steering wheel shape has also been inspired by Formula One and features a one-piece carbon fibre armature.

The HMI system features a central touchscreen incorporating the introduction of EV features, such as a drivetrain visualiser illustrating the PHEV Powerflow. Valhalla also introduces selectable ADAS modes to configure the preferred level of intervention different driving scenarios.

Aston Martin says the Valhalla can be customized via its luxury brands personalisation service, ‘Q by Aston Martin’.

Limited to 999 units, first deliveries of the Aston Marin Valhalla are scheduled to being in the second half of 2025.

JAGUAR REVEALS STYLING FOR FUTURE ALLELECTRIC MODELS WITH THE TYPE 00 CONCEPT

JAGUAR, THE ICONIC British premium car brand, has had a busy few weeks. As the famed brand makes its longawaited move to becoming a premium

electric-vehicle manufacturer, it unleashed a new PR campaign in November that made a gigantic splash with a promotional video that was bright and colourful, energetic

AS THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE POLARIZING REBRAND RUMBLED ON INTO DECEMBER, JAGUAR FINALLY REVEALED THE CONCEPT UPON WHICH EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE BREATHLESSLY WAITING.

and eye-catching, and did not seem to have a car in it. Along with the unusual promo came a new logo; a new ‘leaper’ cat design; new marketing slogans, including ‘Copy Nothing’; and a handful of teasing images of

a concept car that would herald that new, all-electric direction upon which the company will embark from 2026.

All of this, and the video in particular, went viral online, made headlines in news and social media outlets across the world, and became a talking point across the internet as people pondered whether what they were seeing was a colossal, and possibly businessdestroying, miscalculation, or a work of marketing genius – there is, after all, an the old saying that ‘no publicity is bad publicity.’

Jaguar Type 00 Concept

As the conversation around the polarizing rebrand rumbled on into December, Jaguar finally revealed the concept upon which everyone seemed to be breathlessly waiting.

And what that concept indicates is that Jaguar has not completely lost its way . . . not at all.

As a concept car – one that, as concepts are supposed to do, highlights the design and technology direction in which a company is heading – the Type 00 looks likie a pretty decent piece of work.

It’s certainly eye-catching and its wide and aggressive stance, long bonnet, sweeping roofline, and fastback profile –and 23-inch wheels – make for something

dramatic in the same way many of Jaguar’s classic vehicles of yesteryear did.

While there’s little detail about what is going on under the skin of the Type 00 – it is a design project, after all – we do know that the models that will appear will be

VIDEO: JAGUAR TYPE 00 REVEAL

built upon Jaguar’s dedicated architecture JEA (Jaguar Electrical Architecture), and that the first new-generation production Jaguar will be a four-door GT to be revealed in late 2025. It will target a driving range up to 770km (WLTP) and be able to add up to 321km of range in as little as 15 minutes when rapid charging.

Design-wise, the Type 00 points to some pretty bold styling choices for those upcoming production models.

The new face combines upright, flush surfaces with the new Jaguar device mark at its centre. A distinctive front light signature emphasises the corners of the car, while the side profile includes the new Jaguar ‘leaper’ laser-etched into a brass

ingot on each side of the car. These ingots deploy to reveal rear-facing cameras.

The rear continues the bold statement. There’s a glassless tailgate and panoramic roof, and horizontal strikethrough graphics hide full-width taillights.

A pair of butterfly doors open to a futuristic and modernist cabin which includes a central 3.2m-long brass spine that splits a pair of floating instrument panels. Travetine stone and brass are here, as are rich-looking textiles that envelop the two seats, sound bar and flooring.

Some odd-sounding, sci-fi stuff is being paired up with the luxury interior. For example, behind a powered door there are three totems of natural materials –

Brass, Travertine and Alabaster. Placing one of the totems inside the centre console tailors the mood of the interior. Everything, from the ambient lighting and unique soundscape to the tailored screen graphics and even scents, reflect the properties of the chosen material. Pretty weird . . . but sounds fun.

Who knows just how much of the look and feel of the Type 00 will make it into Jaguar’s future all-electric production fleet.

“Type 00 is a pure expression of Jaguar’s new creative philosophy. It has an unmistakable presence. This is the result of brave, unconstrained creative thinking, and unwavering determination,” said Professor Gerry McGovern OBE, Chief Creative Officer, JLR, in a statement. “It is our first physical manifestation and

the foundation stone for a new family of Jaguars that will look unlike anything you’ve ever seen. A vision which strives for the highest level of artistic endeavour.”

Aiming for a place amongst premium, luxury brands and going all in on all-electric power is a bold move and the journey there requires more bold moves. Jaguar has certainly done that.

VIDEO: JAGUAR ‘COPY NOTHING’ PROMO

THE JAECOO J7 PHEV TO LAUNCH IN AUSTRALIA IN 2025

JAECOO, THE SUBBRAND of Chery, will introduce its J7 Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) to Australia in the first quarter of 2025.

The J7 PHEV uses something the company calls SHS – Super Hybrid System – which combines a fifth-Generation turbo petrol 1.5TDGI Hybrid Engine with a Stepless Electric Hybrid DHT transmission that offers four driving modes—pure electric, series, parallel, and energy recovery – and a battery of yet-tobe-confirmed capacity.

Together, the hybrid system can, Jaecoo says, deliver electric-only operation at low speeds of up to 90km (WLTP) - and efficient fuel performance at higher speeds. Estimated combined range is 1200km.

Jaecoo will reveal additional details related to specification and pricing closer to the on-sale date but much of the technology will presumably mirror that of its internal combustion engine-powered sibling, also scheduled for launch in early 2025 and for which more details are known.

For example, that variant will have power-adjustable front seats, an electric tailgate, a 14.8-inch LCD touchscreen, a 360° panoramic camera system, wireless smartphone charging, 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, front fog lamps, automatic windscreen wipers, 8 airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), and several advanced safety features.

Jaecoo J7 PHEV

SUZUKI UNVEILS THE E VITARA BATTERY EV

SUZUKI HAS UNVEILED its first mass-production electric vehicle (EV) in Europe.

Called the e Vitara, the 5-seater is scheduled to go into production in India in early 2025, with sales expected to begin in various countries - including Europe, India, and Japan - around summer 2025.

The e Vitara is based on the concept model eVX, showcased in January 2023, and will sit on a newly developed, EVspecific platform called Heartect-e.

The powertrain consists of an eAxle that integrates the motor and inverter, along with lithium iron-phosphate batteries and there is an electric 4WD system - Allgrip-e

CALLED THE E VITARA, THE 5-SEATER IS SCHEDULED TO GO INTO PRODUCTION IN INDIA IN EARLY 2025, WITH SALES EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES - INCLUDING EUROPE, INDIA, AND JAPAN - AROUND SUMMER 2025.

– option that features two independent eAxles at the front and rear. This system includes a Trail mode designed to get the e Vitara over rough terrain by applying a Limited Slip Differential function.

Suzuki e Vitara

Both two-wheel drive (2WD) or fourwheel drive (4WD) options are available, with 2WD models getting either a 49kWh battery paired with a 106kW/ 189Nm motor, or a bigger 61kWh battery paired with a 128kW/189Nm motor. The 4WD e Vitara gets the 61kWh battery with a 128kW motor at the front and a 48kW motor at the rear. Max torque is 300Nm.

The e Vitara is 4275mm in overall length, 1800mm wide and 1635mm tall. The wheelbase is 2700mm.

Exactly what features and functions will come with the eVitara is not clear as yet, but it will likely be fully stocked, and internal images do suggest a pretty premium-looking vehicle with plenty of trimmings.

MTA QUEENSLAND JOINS THE EVOLVE AUTO FESTIVAL 2025

THE EVOLVE AUTO FESTIVAL will be kicking off on May 24, 2025, at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast and MTA Queensland will be represented at the popular event, joining a host of other leading brands and organisations.

Set to deliver plenty of insights from a range of auto industry experts plus cutting-edge industry training, the Festival will pack in plenty of fun too, with an open bar, gourmet food, live entertainment, and endless networking opportunities.

An exceptional lineup of industry experts will include MTA Queensland’s own Chelsea Lawson, who will offer insights on her experience within the industry and her work with MTA Queensland’s Automotive Women in Trades Apprenticeship Mentoring program.

Early bird pricing is available for the evolve Festival from 1 December 2024 through 31 January 2025.

TWR DEBUTS THE V12 SUPER-GT ‘SUPERCAT’

BACK IN APRIL, the world was treated to something a little bit special with the announcement of the Supercat – a Jaguar XJS-based V12 monster to be delivered by TWR, a British company that is not exactly Tom Walkinshaw Racing, but which was founded by Tom Walkinshaw’s son Fergus and clearly thinks along the same highperformance lines.

In November, TWR unveiled the Supercat, and it is everything that was promised.

For a start, the Supercat looks spectacular. There’s nothing subtle hereit looks brutishly powerful, and it is.

The Supercat features rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox, and beneath its long, sculpted, carbon-bodied bonnet lies a formidable supercharged 5.6-litre, V12 engine that pumps out 492kW and 730Nm.

To manage that significant power, the car’s structure has been reinforced with an

FOR A START, THE SUPERCAT

LOOKS SPECTACULAR.

THERE’S NOTHING SUBTLE HERE - IT LOOKS BRUTISHLY POWERFUL, AND IT IS.

integrated tubular steel framework, while lightweight carbon-fibre body panels contribute to a 9.3 per cent reduction in weight compared to the original Jaguar XJS (1605kg vs 1770kg).

The Supercat has a broader stance with its width increased fcompared to the original XJS. This wider footprint is complemented by TWR Forged Monoblok wheels which are 18 inches at the front and 19 inches at the rear - a significant increase from the XJS’ 15-inch alloys.

Additional features include the option for carbon ceramic disc brakes, fully programmable traction control, launch

control, and five distinct driving modes. There’s double wishbone suspension with an active dynamic damping system. Suspension and steering settings can be adjusted via a toggle interface.

On the inside, the Super-GT has had its rear seats replaced to expand the luggage area. The cabin has been upgraded to include a fully digital multimedia interface (MMI) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Carbon fibrebacked leather seats are available in a contemporary design or a ‘heritage’ option,

referencing the original XJS seat louvres.

TWR says it is now accepting commissions for the Supercat, the production run of which will be kept to just 88 examples worldwide – a number that pays homage to Tom Walkinshaw’s win with the Jaguar XJR-9 at Le Mans in 1988. The first customer deliveries are expected in the summer of 2025.

Prices will vary according to individual specifications but start at £225,000 ($AU440 000), excluding local taxes. TWR says a limited number of build slots remain open with a £35,000 ($AU68,000) deposit.

TWR Supercat

HYUNDAI UNWRAPS THE IONIQ 9 ELECTRIC SUV

HYUNDAI’S ELECTRIC VEHICLE

model line-up continues to grow with the company unveiling the large IONIQ 9 SUV.

The Ioniq 9 is underpinned by Hyundai's E-GMP architecture (which it shares with Kia) which boasts an enhanced power electronic system and a 110.3kWh battery.

Hyundai says a WLTP range of 620km is achievable for a Long-Range RWD model with 19-inch wheels. Powering that model is a 160kW rear motor. A Long-Range AWD model features an additional 70kW front motor, while a Performance AWD model boasts 160kW motors at both the front and rear.

Hyundai says the Performance model can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, while the Long-Range AWD variant takes 6.7 seconds, and the LongRange RWD version takes 9.4 seconds.

Ultra-fast charging using a 350kW charger will enable the Long-Range RWD model to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes.

The Ioniq 9 has dynamic torque vectoring and lateral wind stability control for high-speed stability. There’s also a Terrain Traction System for rough roads, and an Auto Terrain Mode that automatically recognises the road surface and selects the optimal driving mode.

The suspension system sees a MacPherson multi-link setup at the front and a multi-link system at the rear. It

HYUNDAI SAYS THE PERFORMANCE MODEL CAN ACCELERATE FROM 0 TO 100 KM/H IN 5.2 SECONDS, WHILE THE LONGRANGE AWD VARIANT TAKES 6.7 SECONDS, AND THE LONG-RANGE RWD VERSION TAKES 9.4 SECONDS.

includes self-leveling suspension dampers and hydro-bushing. Hyundai says that European Ioniq 9 models can tow up to 2500kg.

In selected markets, Digital Side Mirrors replace glass mirrors, displaying a side-rear view on a seven-inch OLED monitor.

The Ioniq 9 accommodates seating arrangements for six or seven occupants.

Relaxation Seats in the first and second rows can fully recline. Depending on the market, relaxation seats feature a Dynamic Body Care system including a massage function. Also available are second-row swiveling seats (in select markets).

Tech in the cabin is, unsurprisingly, top

notch. There’s Bluelink Connected Services, fast wireless charger, and 100W high-output USB-C ports for passengers in the first, second and third rows.

The infotainment system includes a 12-inch cluster and a 12-inch integrated monitor as part of the panoramic curved display. Standard in-car audio features and 8-speaker sound system with the option of a premium BOSE 14-spear set-up.

application of third-row seat belt pretensioners and load limiters significantly improves third-row passenger protection in the event of a collision, preventing head impacts with the second-row seats and reducing head and neck injuries. Ioniq 9 is also equipped with 10 airbags to further enhance safety.

Safety and driver assistance systems are plentiful. Hyundai says the standard

The SUV also features Hyundai’s latest Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) with features that include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Warning, Safe Exit Assist, Rear Occupant Alert, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Blind-Spot View Monitor, High Beam Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic CollisionAvoidance Assist, Parking Distance Warning and more.

Ioniq 9 is to go on sale in Korea and the U.S. in the first half of 2025 with subsequent rollout planned for Europe and other markets later.

Auto news

TOYOTA TUNDRA LIMITED LAUNCHES INTO LOCAL MARKET

TOYOTA HAS LAUNCHED its new full-size Tundra pick-up into Australia. Available in the Limited trim variant, the Tundra is priced at $155,990. It's 5955mm long, 2040mm wide and 1985mm tall, and sits on a 3700mm wheelbase.

Under the bonnet is a 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain teaming the 290kW/649Nm twin-turbo V6 with a 36kW/250Nm motor generator for a whopping output total of 326kW/790Nm.

At the front, there is a double wishbone suspension set-up with the rear suspension comprising a four-link rigid axle configuration with dual-rate coil springs.

The powertrain drives through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with power able to be delivered to all four wheels via a part-time selectable 4WD system with a dual-range transfer case.

In two-wheel drive mode (2H), drive torque is delivered to the rear wheels, while switching to high range 4WD (4H) via the sliding switch on the centre console engages the front wheels by locking the automatic disconnecting differential (ADD). The Tundra is equipped with low range 4WD (4L).

The Tundra sits on the TNGA-F ladder-frame platform that is shared with the LandCruiser 300 Series and new LandCruiser Prado. The frame’s wheelbase has been lengthened by 850mm compared to the LandCruiser 300 Series while the front and rear track of 1737mm is up to 70mm wider. The Tundra’s maximum braked towing capacity of 4500kg.

Stopping power comes via 354mm ventilated discs with 4-piston calipers on the front and 335mm ventilated discs with single-piston calipers on the rear. There is, Toyota says, a full complement of safety technologies including ABS, vehicle stability control, hill-start assist and trailer sway control. Toyota Safety Sense features include the autonomous emergency braking pre-collision safety system, emergency steering assist, active cruise control, lane trace assist and lane departure alert, and automatic high beam.

The Tundra also incorporates blind-spot monitor with cross traffic alert, parking support brake and front and rear parking sensors. It also features a panoramic view monitor and rear-view camera, and a digital rear-view mirror.

There’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch touchscreen display for the infotainment and multimedia system.

Toyota Tundra

MG REVEALS NEW ZS HYBRID+ SUV

MG MOTOR AUSTRALIA has taken the covers off the all-new ZS HYBRID+.

The new model – available in Excite and Essence variants – integrates a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a 100kW/250Nm electric motor, paired with a 1.83kWh NMC battery and a three-speed optimised hybrid automatic transmission. The ZS HYBRID+ powertrain produces 158kW of maximum combined power, 465Nm, and delivers a combined average fuel consumption of 4.7L/100km.

A comprehensive array of advanced driver assistance systems – which includes the MG Pilot Suite – sees the ZS HYBRID+ fitted with, amongst others, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Change Assist, Intelligent Cruise Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection, and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist.

The interior features a 12.3-inch instrument display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Keyless Entry and Push Button Start and standard

AVAILABLE IN EXCITE AND ESSENCE VARIANTS

– INTEGRATES A 1.5-LITRE NATURALLY ASPIRATED FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE WITH A 100KW/250NM ELECTRIC MOTOR, PAIRED WITH A 1.83KWH NMC BATTERY AND A THREE-SPEED OPTIMISED HYBRID AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

on both variants. There’s digital radio and a 6-speaker audio system, plus built-in satellite navigation. Space-wise, the 443-litre boot expands to 1457 litres with the rear seats folded. There are multiple USB ports too –two in the front and one in the rear.

While the Excite variant gets plenty of features, the Essence gets some extras including Electronic Panoramic Sunroof, Leather Steering Wheel, Heated Front Seats, Driver’s 6-Way Electric Adjustable Seating, Illuminated Sun visor and more. Available in two variants, the ZS HYBRID+ Excite is priced from $33,990 (DAP/MSRP) and the ZS HYBRID+ Essence is priced from $36,990 (DAP/MSRP).

ZS HYBRID+ - available in Excite and Essence variants

New vehicle sales

NEW VEHICLE SALES REFLECT TOUGH TIMES IN NOVEMBER

NEW VEHICLE SALES results released by the Federal Chamber for Automotive Industries (FCAI) at the beginning of the month show a continuing softening in demand in November compared with the same month last year.

99,091 new vehicles were delivered during November, according to VFACTS - a decrease of 11.6 per cent on the same period last year. Sales were down across the country including Queensland, which decreased 12.1% on November 2023 to 21,320. The ACT was down 18.1% to 1,333; NSW was down 12.2% to 30,490; the Northern Territory was down 21.1% to 727; South Australia decreased by 9.5% to 6,591; Tasmania decreased 18.8% to 1,642; Victoria decreased 9.8% to 26,729 and Western Australia decreased by 12.2 to 10,259.

Toyota was the market leader with sales of 20,562 during November, followed by Ford (8,720), Mazda (7,588), Kia (6,410) and Mitsubishi (6,205). The Toyota RAV4 was Australia’s topselling vehicle with sales of 5,526 followed by Ford Ranger (4,981), Toyota Prado (3,590), Toyota HiLux (3,572) and the MG ZS (2,794).

The Passenger Vehicle Market was down by 4,849 vehicle sales (down 26.3%) over the same month last year; the Sports Utility Market was down by 1,735 vehicle sales (down 2.8%); the Light Commercial Market was down by 6,228 vehicle sales (down 23.3%) and the Heavy Commercial Vehicle Market was down by 238 vehicle sales (down 5.2%) versus November 2023.

“From an historical perspective, the 2024 year to date result is strong,” said Tony Weber, FCAI Chief Executive. “However, the market is starting to show a number of clear trends. The first half of 2024 recorded market growth of 8.7 per cent compared with 2023. Since July, we have seen the market decline by 8.2 per cent compared with 2023.

“The Private buyer segment continues to struggle with a decline of 16.6 per cent on November 2023. This follows falls of 14.2 per cent in October, 17.2 per cent in September and 15.9 per cent in August. This is a disturbing trend which illustrates

THE TOYOTA RAV4 WAS AUSTRALIA’S TOP-SELLING VEHICLE WITH SALES OF 5,526 FOLLOWED BY FORD RANGER (4,981), TOYOTA PRADO (3,590), TOYOTA HILUX (3,572) AND THE MG ZS (2,794).

how cost of living pressures are impacting households.” Electric vehicles (EV) sales fell compared to 12 months ago according to the data – from 8,646 to 3,969 – although sales for Tesla and Polestar are no longer included in the report. In an early December media release from the Electric Vehicle Council, that organisation claimed 100,000 EV sales for the year, although this number reportedly includes plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle sales along with those of batteryelectric vehicles.

Whatever the mix of electrified vehicle sales, there is no denying that high-voltage vehicles – be they battery electric, PHEV, or mild hybrid – now take a very significant slice of the local market. The FCAI says its data shows that hybrid and plug-in hybrid tech accounted for 16.9 per cent of November sales compared to 9.9 per cent last year.

Workplace relations

REN LEE SENIOR WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVISOR

THE VEHICLE REPAIR

UPDATES TO ENTRY LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONS WITHIN THE VRSR AWARD

Services and Retail Award 2020 will soon be updated to clarify a previously ambiguous clause regarding entrylevel employee classifications. Classifications contained within Level 1 R1 include but are not limited to, car cleaner/ washers, workshop cleaners, car polishers - by hand etc.

From 1 January 2025, any employees classified as a Level 1 R1 employee will need to be re-classified to a Level 2 R2 after 3 months of their employment.

The description for a Level 2 R2 employee has also been updated to reflect “an employee who has completed up to 3 months’ employment at Level 1 to enable the employee to perform work within the scope of this level”. This is to reflect the intention of a Level 1 role as being a shortterm classification while an employee is being trained.

These changes come into effect as of the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2025. From that date, any employees that fall under the Level 1 classification and have been employed for 3 months (or more) must be promoted to a Level 2 classification with the corresponding rate of pay.

FROM 1 JANUARY 2025, ANY EMPLOYEES CLASSIFIED AS A LEVEL 1 R1 EMPLOYEE WILL NEED TO BE RECLASSIFIED TO A LEVEL 2 R2 AFTER 3 MONTHS OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT.

For reference, pay rates for Level 1 R1 and Level 2 R2 are defined below. Please note that the rates are for adult wage rates. The information in this article is general and does not constitute legal advice. For assistance or further information please contact the MTA Queensland Workplace Relations Advisors.

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MTA Institute News

LAST MONTH, I penned a piece around the 2024 MTA Institute’s Apprentice of the Year Awards. Well, the awards evening has come and gone, and the winner was Kye Robinson, a fourth-year apprentice from Biloela Mechanical and Agricultural Services (BMAS) completing his Light Vehicle Technology qualification.

2024 HAS BEEN ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE YEAR FOR THE INSTITUTE, BUT 2025 IS SHAPING UP TO BE A CRACKER WITH SOME MAJOR EXPANSION

PLANS

While the calibre of this year's nominees was remarkable, Kye stood out as having both enthusiasm and passion for our industry. I look forward to seeing Kye’s progress with his long-term career aspirations in automotive.

I’d like to take the opportunity to also congratulate all the nominees and look forward with anticipation to doing it all again in 2025.

I’ve previously written about the MTA Institute’s commitment to ongoing professional development (PD) for our trainers and our Trainers' Conference, being run from December 17-19th, has been scheduled for exactly that purpose.

Our bi-annual training conference delivers numerous internal and external PD activities for our staff and this time included OEM level training from Volvo, Isuzu, Foton, AusEV, 3M, Axalta and Hitachi as well as training on PICO, Bosch, Autel, ADAS and CANBUS. We’re committed to ensuring our trainers are at

STARTING TO MATERIALISE.

the forefront of these technological changes so they can then impart this knowledge to your trainees/apprentices.

2024 has been another productive year for the Institute, but 2025 is shaping up to be a cracker with some major expansion plans starting to materialise. I’ll provide additional detail in early 2025 but, for now, here is a snippet. We’re launching entry-level auto training programs into two additional schools, bringing our total school programs to 10. We’re also investigating satellite training facilities in the regions to enhance what we already do there, and we’re refreshing all the tools and equipment at the Institute to ensure we have the latest and greatest kit for your training experience. All that while maintaining our normal activities. It’s gonna be big!

Finally, I hope you’re able to enjoy a wellearned break and we’ll catch you in 2025.

MARCELLO RIOTTO DIRECTOR, MTA INSTITUTE

Apprentice of the Month: November 2024

The MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month is proudly sponsored by CareSuper

APPRENTICE:

LILY WELSH

WORKPLACE:

ADVANCED AUTO ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE

APPRENTICESHIP:

AUTOMOTIVE REFINISHING TECHNOLOGY

LILY WELSH IS the MTA Institute

Apprentice of the Month for November 2024.

The 20-year-old is in the third year of her automotive refinishing (painting) apprenticeship and works at Advanced Auto Accident Repair Centre in the Brisbane suburb of Albion.

Lily is, according to her MTA Institute trainer Patrick Cranitch is an outstanding apprentice with an approach and attention to detail that is ‘industry leading.’ Her employer too is full of praise for Lily’s skills and enthusiasm, saying her ‘. . . abilities and quality of work far exceeds a third-year’s standard.

For someone who is proving to be such an able, skilled, and reliable employee, it is a surprise to learn that becoming a spray painter was not something that had been a childhood dream for Lily. Instead, it was a bit of luck and the desire to try something a bit different that would end up seeing her join Advance Auto Accident Repair Centre and uncover her passion for the work.

“I was working at packing pineapples when my brother-in-law – who worked as a panel beater here - asked me if I wanted an apprenticeship in spray painting.,” said Lily.

“I was 17 years old, and I’d watched some YouTube videos of people doing the job and thought it looked sort of cool, but I didn’t really have an interest in it. But it was a new job opportunity, so I wanted to give it a try.

she does on high-end cars and the results she was getting - which were really, really good - intrigued me,” said Lily.

“And now I do work on some of those cars. The most high-end have been Porsches and Mercedes, and I have worked on a Bentley too.”

As a third year, Lily works on all sorts of cars and all sorts of paints and complicated jobs, and the process of getting the right paint for a job is, she said, an interesting one.

“We take a spectro - a photo of the paint on the car – and hook it up to our computer to see what the spectro gives us as a best match. We then do a spray-out card of the one that looks visually best on the computer screen,” she said. “When that spray-out card is cured, we take it to the car and look at it with a ‘sun gun’ – which is a sunlight torch – and if it is a good match, we’ll use it. If the paint needs a little bit more tinting, then we’ll come back and tweak it.”

“WATCHING MY TRADESPERSON PAINT AND SEEING THE WORK THAT SHE DOES ON HIGH-END CARS AND THE RESULTS SHE WAS GETTING - WHICH WERE REALLY, REALLY GOODINTRIGUED ME.

“I was given a week to see if I liked it or not, and then did three months’ probation before starting my apprenticeship.”

Advanced Auto Accident Repair Centre has a fine reputation and works on some extremely high-end and exotic cars. It’s a great place to learn the finder arts of painting and Lily was fascinated by what could be done by a skilled painter.

“Watching my tradesperson paint and seeing the work that

Finding that precise colour and applying it might be Lily’s part of the repair job, but she said it was very rewarding to watch a car go through the whole process of repair – to come in damaged but roll out of the shop looking like it did when it was brand new.

“That really is very satisfying,” she said. Clearly, Lily is a brilliant apprentice and skilled employee, and it seems that the MTA Institute is not the only organisation to recognise that, for Lily has also been named as a finalist in the Technician/ Estimator category of the 2024 Women in Collision Award organised by Australasian Paint & Panel. The winner will be announced in February 2025 but being in the running for such a prize is a terrific achievement in itself. Along with the news of her winning the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month award, it seemed that Christmas had come a little early.

“It is cool,” said Lily. “It has been a pretty good week!”

It certainly has.

• Are you employing an apprentice who is excelling in the workplace?

• Do you have a high-achieving apprentice colleague?

If the answer is ‘yes’, then nominate them for the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month Award.

• Are they training with MTA Institute? CLICK HERE FOR

MTA Institute Graduates

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE MTA INSTITUTE GRADUATES WHO WERE ISSUED A QUALIFICATION IN NOVEMBER 2024!

APPRENTICE QUALIFICATION TRAINER

Riley Jackson

Christopher Beckmann

Ernest Toy

Connor Murton

Scott Verrall

Brydon Dennis

Michael Johnson

Kyle Keegan

Dalton Waller

Cameron Rivers

Brett Thorncroft

Antony Mason

Thomas McLeod

Erin Knight

Haiden Orchard

Brock Neville

Brodie Watkinson

Benjamin Haigh

Joshua Gil

Emma Ward

Aaron Schafer

Ben Roche

Joshua French

Alexander Brown

Joshua Urquhart

Andrew Klump

Angus Rayner

Colin O'Grady

Damien Kennell

Taylar Hawthorn

Jamie Kelly

Reilly Nugent

Elih Morgan

Kassandra Palmer

Jason Allen

Liam Russell

Andrew Murray

Jake Chalmers

James Spencer

Clay Blackman

Trey Singleton

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Outdoor Power Equipment Technology

Certificate III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Andrew Keys

Gareth Hartley

Steve Cameron

Steve Cameron

Samuel Lawson

Kevin Ryan

Samuel Lawson

Samuel Lawson

Samuel Lawson

Derrick Pratt

Andrew Elson

Damien O'Connor

David Twidale

Gavin Jacobs

Colin Crichton

David Twidale

Antony Joslin

James Dixon

Stephen Blaauw

Dennis Shaw

Don Lerm

Kevin Ryan

Janel Singh

Stuart Davies

Samuel Lawson

Simon Verkroost

Samuel Lawson

Gavin Jacobs

Lloyd Cross

Sol Layland

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology Sol Layland

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology Sol Layland

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology Sol Layland

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology (Mobile Plant Equipment)

Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Damien O'Connor

Steve Adams

Steve Adams

Wayne Fitzgerald

Steve Adams

Andrew Keys

Shane Palmer

Brett Baker

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INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS SPARKING SCHOOL STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN AUTOMOTIVE

ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE to consider a career in the automotive industry, and offering pathways for them to pursue, is an important part of MTA Queensland’s mission to both help industry tackle the challenge of workforce and skills shortages as well as prepare the next generation of professionals through high-quality training.

In the past couple of years, the Association has targeted this objective by developing closer ties with other industry organisations and companies that share its ambition. Such a relationship that has been particularly fruitful is one with Capricorn.

Over the past year, MTA Queensland has run career expos in parallel with Capricorn’s trade show events enabling hundreds of school students to be introduced to businesses that span the breadth of industry sectors and learn about the career options open to them.

It was at the Brisbane expo and trade event, held in May 2024, that Phoenix Hooper, an 18-year-old high school student, discovered the pathway to his chosen career.

AT THAT BRISBANE EXPO, PHOENIX MET DARYN BRIMS, DIRECTOR OF THE DPD GROUP WHICH HAS FOUR PEDDERS STORES ACROSS SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND,

INCLUDING A SITE AT LAWNTON THAT INCLUDES A WORKSHOP AND A WAREHOUSE FACILITY.

Uncertain exactly what to do once he had left school but with a healthy interest in cars, Phoenix first attended a Careers Expo on the Gold Coast and followed that up by attending the Brisbane expo.

It was here that he made a connection with Pedders Suspension & Brakes, which has more than 120 outlets across Australia, and his interest in really pursuing an automotive career was sparked.

At that Brisbane expo, Phoenix met Daryn Brims, Director of the DPD Group which has four Pedders stores across southeast Queensland, including a site at Lawnton that includes a workshop and a

warehouse facility. It was a conversation with Daryn at the expo that convinced Phoenix that a career in automotive was the direction he should choose.

“Daryn asked me, ‘What makes you interested in cars?’,” said Phoenix. “I replied, ‘I'm a P-Plater, I love to go fast!’ He then asked me if I had ever thought of slowing down, by which he meant in terms of upgrading brakes, getting better suspension and so on. As soon as he asked that question, I realised I had never thought about it before.

“I went home, and it was about 10pm and I'm in the shed tearing apart my car, checking out the brakes, checking out what kind of suspension I had and figuring out just how it all works . . . I really had a look into it and I was like, ‘Yes! This is what I want to do!’.”

Due to attending the Brisbane expo, Phoenix was now on MTA Queensland’s radar and he was invited, along with

about 25 other school students, to another automotive career-focused event – this time one being held at the Pedders

Lawnton site and one which was the first such event to blossom out of a new relationship being established between Pedders and MTA Queensland.

The event included a tour of the facility and a presentation to the students about the career opportunities with Pedders and the wider industry. At the event were Scott Pedder, Managing Director of the company, and Daryn Brims. Also, there were a number of MTA Queensland representatives and Petrina Brims, Daryn’s wife and also a director of DPD Group.

“I got an invitation to visit the workshop and just seeing all the other people, seeing the warehouse and the shop and a bit of the office was great,” said Phoenix. “And that's when I met Petrina. She gave me a rundown of how things work here, and I said, ‘I'm interested in getting some work experience. I want to get into this field.’

I’m grateful she gave me the opportunity to do that.”

Motor Trader caught up with Phoenix while he was doing that work experience and it had, he said, confirmed for him that automotiveand more specifically the underbody technology in which Pedders specialises - is the sector in which he would like to kickstart his career.

Phoenix with Petrina Brims, Director of DPD Group

“Even in the short amount of time I have worked here, I've just absolutely fallen in love with the working environment,” said Phoenix. “I’ve been following Cam, the technician, around and he has been showing me the ropes really well and teaching me a lot. It's been hands-on and I get the chance to actually feel the car, feel the suspension and see the condition of bushings, tyres, wheels, and everything. It’s complex and I think I've truly found what I want to do.”

For Petrina, finding Phoenix has proven the worth of getting the business out to expos and other events and engaging with MTA Queensland.

“We've never had a work experience student come into any of our Pedders stores before,” she said. “Phoenix is very keen, he has responded well to what's been asked of him, and he's very well spoken too. That was one of the things that I think stood out when I first met him - the fact that he's very polite and nice.”

Petrina did not meet Phoenix until he attended the warehouse/workshop tour of the Lawnton facility, but she had already heard about him thanks to his interaction with Daryn at the MTA Queensland/ Capricorn careers expo in Brisbane.

“I remember Daryn calling to tell me he had spoken to this young guy and had suggested to him that he send in his resumé,” said Petrina. “I had that resumé not long after that. Phoenix had obviously gone home and sent it to us immediately.”

While not every student may be as keen or exceptional as Phoenix is turning out to be, if it were not for Pedders, Capricorn, MTA Queensland, and other industry stakeholders getting out to expos and engaging with young people in a meaningful way, even he may have slipped through the net.

It is, said Petrina, vital for industry to make some noise, hold and attend events like the careers expos, and make sure young people understand the opportunities available in automotive.

“We need to promote the fact that it's a fantastic industry to be in,” she said. “If we don't have those events then there's nowhere for the students to go to see what they can be involved in.

“Yes, they may start as an apprentice technician but there are so many different avenues for them . . . but if we don't have the opportunity to present that to the students, then they don't even look at our industry. We need to get ourselves out there so that we can get the students in.”

Since Motor Trader spoke to Phoenix, he has been taken on as an apprentice at the Pedders Lawnton facility. He will be undertaking AUR32518 – Cert III in Automotive Underbody Technology.

The Pedders workshop and warehouse facility at Lawnton

MTAQ MEMBER SIGNAGE

MTAQ DELIVERS AUTOMOTIVE TASTER DAY AT CABOOLTURE STATE HIGH SCHOOL

DURING 2024, MTA Queensland (MTAQ) has engaged with schools across the state through its School to Work project, providing students with details on the many careers and pathways into employment available in the automotive industry. One school in particular, Caboolture State High School, has embraced the program and in July 2024, MTA Queensland delivered its first career taster day event, something that it will look to replicate with other schools across the state. This engaging event provided 11 students with a comprehensive introduction to the automotive industry, featuring interactive experiences, practical workshops, and valuable career guidance. By bringing together industry expertise and educational resources, the taster day offered students a unique opportunity to explore the automotive sector in a handson and meaningful way. A major highlight of the day was the electric vehicle (EV) showcase, featuring MTA Queensland’s BYD Atto 3. Students had the chance to interact with this state-of-the-art vehicle, delving into its advanced features and understanding the technology that powers electric transportation. This showcase not only demonstrated the future of automotive

technology but also sparked students’ interest in the evolving field of EVs.

The Taster Day also featured an innovative Virtual Reality (VR) experience designed to teach students how to depower an EV. Through VR technology, students were able to engage with complex procedures in a simulated environment, gaining experience in a safe and interactive manner. In September, more experiences were added to this technology - including spray painting, vehicle jump start, and tyre-changing experiences - all designed to provide real-life experiences in a simulated environment to students keen to have a go. This modern approach to learning provides a unique perspective on working in the automotive industry.

In addition to the high-tech experiences, the day included a practical workshop where students engaged in basic vehicle maintenance tasks. They learned essential maintenance skills and received important safety tips on responsible vehicle ownership. This hands-on approach provided students with practical knowledge and skills relevant to the automotive industry.

The event also offered valuable insights into various career paths within the automotive sector. Students explored different roles, qualifications, and skills

BY BRINGING TOGETHER INDUSTRY EXPERTISE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES,

THE TASTER DAY OFFERED STUDENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR IN A HANDS-ON AND MEANINGFUL WAY.

required for success in the industry.

Information on apprenticeships and work experience opportunities were provided, giving students a clear understanding of potential career trajectories and the steps needed to achieve their professional goals. To add a creative twist to the day, students were invited to build and keep a LEGO car. This fun activity not only reinforced their learning about vehicle assembly but also allowed students to engage in a hands-on, enjoyable experience that complemented the more technical aspects of the day.

From a Caboolture State High School perspective, the day was highly successful.

“The taster trade day with MTAQ was amazing,” said Hollie Lambert, RTO Manager and HOD Teaching and Learning Senior. “MTAQ are dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to enter

the trade. They create exciting real-world experiences that had all the participants excited for what a career in the industry could be like.”

Feedback from the students was equally positive, with many commenting that the experience had been fun and entertaining and had given them plenty of useful insights into EVs and cars in general. A career in the automotive industry was a goal for plenty of the students.

Overall, MTA Queensland’s Automotive Taster Day at Caboolture State High School was a resounding success. By combining interactive showcases, practical workshops, and career guidance, it provided students with a comprehensive introduction to the automotive industry, inspiring the next generation of automotive professionals and demonstrating the exciting possibilities available to them.

With ongoing initiatives like the Auto Ready program, MTA Queensland is committed to continuing its support for students and fostering their interest in automotive careers.

School-to-Work Transitions is part of the Queensland Government’s Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022 – 2032

KELVIN MILLAR INDUSTRY WORKFORCE ADVISOR

AWORKFORCE PLANNING CAN SUPERCHARGE YOUR BUSINESS

S WE SHIFT gears toward the end of the year, it’s time to talk about something that can power your business well into the future: workforce planning. At MTA Queensland, we’ve just rolled out a brand-new industry-specific Workforce Planning Document, and it’s more than just a pile of paperwork – it’s a roadmap for success. Let’s break down why this matters to you and how it can futureproof your business.

PLANNING

Small businesses in the automotive world are often so focused on the now that long-term planning gets left on the backburner. Whether it’s setting up a 1-year, 3-year, or 5-year plan, thinking about a succession strategy, or simply making sure you’ve got the right insurance and utilities covered, these steps can save you from costly mistakes down the road. Comparing energy bills, EFTPOS rates, and insurance policies regularly can also mean significant savings. Since stepping into my role as Industry Workforce Advisor in February, I’ve had numerous chats with business owners about planning. Some avoid it, while others embrace it and see the benefits roll in. Take the DMH Group, for example. Carolyn Rimmer, their Company Culture Coordinator, shared insights on how they prioritise workforce planning and why staff retention is their turbo boost for longterm success. Check out the full interview for some valuable takeaways!

A LIVING, BREATHING ROADMAP

Workforce planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Think of it as a live document — start small, add details as you go, and tweak it as your business evolves. We’ve made an interactive version available on our website, designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. Prefer a hard copy? No worries — give me a call, shoot me an email, or ask your Area Manager for a copy.

My goal is to get you, the business owner, to step out of the daily grind, take a moment, and look at your business from the outside. That fresh perspective can be just what you need to stay ahead of the curve.

ROLLING INTO 2025

I want to give a big shout-out to all the businesses who’ve shared their time and knowledge with me this year. Your experiences help us all navigate the twists and turns of an ever-changing industry.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I look forward to reconnecting and helping you drive toward success in 2025.

Stay tuned, stay planned, and keep those engines roaring!

VIDEO: KELVIN MILLAR INTERVIEW WITH CAROLYN RIMMER FROM THE DMH GROUP

Women in automotive trades

MICHELLE KING

PROJECT MANAGERWOMEN IN AUTOMOTIVE TRADES APPRENTICESHIPS

DRIVING CHANGE: MTAQ AND BUSY SISTERS SUPPORTING

WOMEN IN AUTOMOTIVE

THE AUTOMOTIVE

INDUSTRY is shifting gears toward diversity and inclusion, and MTA Queensland (MTAQ) is leading the charge with an inspiring initiative. In August 2024, MTAQ announced the launch of the Women in Automotive Trade Apprenticeships Mentoring Program. In partnership with BUSY Sisters, the program offers one-on-one mentoring support to first and second-year female apprentices, setting a new standard for industry support.

Since its inception, the program has grown significantly, with 113 apprentices now benefiting from tailored mentoring. Participants work across a diverse range of automotive sectors, including light vehicle, heavy vehicle, paint and panel, and parts interpreting.

The program took a significant leap forward with the launch of its first webinar, focusing on effective communication—a critical skill in any industry – offering practical strategies for success. The event featured guest speaker Gabrielle Clift (Triple Eight Racing mechanic), who shared her inspiring story and provided insights into her passion for the industry and helping the next generation.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Women in Automotive Trade Apprenticeships Mentoring Program’s vision is bigger and bolder. Plans include monthly webinars, offering apprentices continuous learning opportunities, and exciting prize giveaways to reward their dedication. Additionally, several road trips to regional Queensland are on the agenda, aiming to connect more apprentices and mentors in regional areas.

A critical part of the initiative’s mission is to increase awareness about the importance of supporting women in the automotive workforce. To that end, MTAQ will be organising an employer roundtable to discuss effective strategies for engaging and supporting female apprentices.

Adding to the excitement, in collaboration with MTAQ’s Auto Women, MATQ is gearing up for its 2025 International Women’s Day campaign, highlighting the incredible achievements of women in the industry.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025, THE WOMEN IN

AUTOMOTIVE TRADE APPRENTICESHIPS

MENTORING PROGRAM’S VISION IS BIGGER AND BOLDER.

Moreover, some apprentices will soon complete their mentoring and transition into MTAQ’s Auto Women program, ensuring continued support and professional growth.

This initiative is not just about mentoring—it’s about driving systemic change. With steadfast commitment, MTAQ and BUSY Sisters are paving the way for a more inclusive, dynamic, and thriving automotive industry.

Stay tuned because the future of women in automotive is looking bright, bold, and unstoppable!

The Women in Automotive Trade Apprenticeships Mentoring Program is funded by the Queensland Government through the Women in Trades Mentoring Program.

WOMEN

Auto Women is a supportive group that:

Raises the profile of women in the automotive industry

Advocates for women in the automotive industry on key issues to government

Promotes career opportunities for women and the advantages of diversity to employers

Hosts virtual and in-person networking and social events that educate, connect and support women

Provides career enhancement courses and scholarships

MTAQ EXPANDS EV TRAINING DELIVERY TO RURAL QLD CENTRES

ACCORDING TO THE Electric

Vehicle Council, Australia has reached a milestone in 2024, recording more than 100,000 sales of electric vehicles (EVs) for the year.

While most of those sales will likely be to customers living in metropolitan locations, such a healthy percentage (around 10 per cent) of the national new-vehicle sales market means that EVs will surely start appearing in growing numbers in rural and regional areas. Diesel and petrol power may be the norm for many years, but it has never been more important for businesses across Queensland to take the EV revolution seriously.

MTA Queensland recognises the importance of helping businesses across the state prepare for the arrival of EVs and has run EV courses in the regional centres of Townsville and Cairns this year.

In November, the Association expanded its EV course delivery by running the AURETH101- Depower and Reinitialise Battery Electric Vehicles course in the country town of St George, about 500km west of Brisbane. The course is designed to upskill technicians with the skills to safely depower and reinitialise Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). It involves ensuring the vehicles’ high voltage rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) is isolated before commencing any service or repair work and calibrating vehicle systems that may need resetting once the energy storage system is reinitialised.

The course was run at the facilities of Maranoa Mechanical, a Repco Authorised

“MARANOA MECHANICAL HAS A MIX OF LONG-TERM TECHNICIANS AND UP-AND-COMING APPRENTICES AND THEY, ALONG WITH THE TECHNICIAN FROM TARA, WERE ALL VERY ENGAGED. THEY ALL TOOK AWAY A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EVS AND WERE HAPPY WITH THE COURSE.”

Service workshop that offers a wide range of maintenance and repair services. From passenger vehicles to heavy diesel trucks, Maranoa Mechanical can work on just about any vehicle and offers the full range of services, including auto electrical. They are also the RACQ contractor for the area and even have the baggage handling contract at for Rex Airlines St George Airport.

Having a social media and online hashtag of #WeKeepYouMoving, means it is important that Maranoa Mechanical be able to deliver on that promise, and that has led business owners Emily Martin and Brad Goldthorpe to look at expanding its service offerings to include electrified vehicles. Emily said that securing EV training for the business had been an important move and under consideration for some time.

“We're very much a rural area where

there are a lot of diesel 4WDs running around,” she said. “That's probably not going to change anytime soon, but there are some hybrids starting to move around, we have seen a Tesla driving through town, and because of our role with RACQ we have to be able to handle whatever comes in on the back of a tow truck.”

Delivered by Nigel Palmer, the MTA Institute’s Technical Learning and Development Officer, the training course was attended by staff from Maranoa Mechanical and another technician who travelled in from Tara, about 3 hours north-east of St George.

It was, said Nigel, a positive experience for everyone involved, with Maranoa Mechanical being extremely helpful by providing not only a suitable location but also arranging for a couple of electrified vehicles to join the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV which Nigel brought along as a training resource.

“The training went really well,” said Nigel. “Maranoa Mechanical has a mix of long-term technicians and up-andcoming apprentices and they, along with the technician from Tara, were all very

Nigel Palmer from the MTA Institute delivered trhe course to attendees at Maranoa Mechanical

engaged. They all took away a better understanding of EVs and were happy with the course.”

For Emily and her team, the course ensures Maranoa Mechanical can continue its journey to being able to service every need, including future needs, of the community. However, there were other considerations that led Emily to engage with MTA Queensland.

Working with EVs does, said Emily, have business potential and they are offering not only regular EV maintenance and servicing but considering offering EV conversion services too. There is also the fact that delivering professional development opportunities for the team is important to keep their skills up to date and to ensure personal ambitions are met.

“They're all interested to learn new things . . . that means they can be good at what they do, be professionals and continue to learn, and it makes what they do interesting, even while living six hours from Brisbane,” said Emily.

“We do have long-term team members, and we put a lot of effort into trying to make our workplace an attractive workplace. The way you value and treat your team is really important.”

Delivering a course in rural or regional Queensland requires careful planning.

The number of attendees, having a suitable location, and ensuring training resources are available are all issues to be considered. Working closely with local members is vital in making sure everyone gets what they need from a course.

“We are committed to helping and guiding industry in this time of change, and we will travel to present these courses, logistics permitting, across Queensland,” said Nigel. “A large amount of equipment is required to present these courses effectively, so each request and location will need to be assessed before a total commitment is made but be assured that it is our goal to ensure everyone in the industry who wants to undertake EV training has the opportunity to do so.”

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HYUNDAI’S HYDROGEN

HYDROGEN FCEV CONCEPT

VIDEO: HYDROGEN FUEL CELL ELECTRIC CONCPET 'INITIUM'

THIS IS HYUNDAI’S

Initium hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) concept.

The Initium is, Hyundai says, a preview of a new production FCEV that the company plans to unveil in the first half of next year. This SUV concept also marks the debut of Hyundai’s new design language – called ‘Art of Steel’ – which the company says embodies ‘the character of HTWO, Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated hydrogen value chain business brand.’

The development of the Initium focused on three aspects – driving range and performance, spacious interior, and safety.

With large hydrogen tanks, and design tweaks - such as aerodynamic wheels and low rolling resistance tyres - aimed at reducing drag, Hyundai says the targeted driving range for the Initium is more than 650km. Electric motor output is up to 150kW and electrical energy can be used

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INITIUM WAS FOCUSED ON THREE ASPECTS –DRIVING RANGE AND PERFORMANCE, SPACIOUS INTERIOR, AND SAFETY.

to power and charge appliances via the Initium’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) feature.

Hyundai says the production version of the Initium concept is set to launch in the first half of 2025.