MAY 2017
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MOTOR TRADES ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND
MEMBERS CLASSIC: 1968 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK
The benchmark of industry standards.
The benchmark of industry standards.
The benchmark of training standards.
LANDING ZONE PREMIUM PACKAGE $650 (INCLUDES GST)
CARMAGEDDON, LEADING THE WAY! The Landing Zone is an interactive afternoon session from 2pm-4.30pm on Wednesday 12th July. • The Landing Zone exhibitors should focus on presenting a display that connects to automotive innovative business solutions • Approx 100 attendees include MPs, Govt executive level representatives, CEOs, MTAQ & MTAI Board members, members of MTA Queensland, start up companies, financiers, key clients of the MTA Institute and other automotive industry representatives • Venue is MTA Institute: The Sir Jack Brabham Centre Automotive Centre of Excellence. Bump In from Tuesday 11th July.
Logo and 150 words on Landing Zone Program distributed to all attendees and uploaded to MTAQ website events page 1/8 page advertisement in one 2017 edition of Motor Trader e-magazine (valued at $500) Logo and weblink on MTAQ website events page for Carmageddon Minimum 2 member bulletins to all MTAQ members with a link to the MTAQ website events page for Carmageddon Your promotional flyer for inclusion in Carmageddon guest pack Site allocation of 6m x 3m at event 6 premium exhibitors only You will have the opportunity to present to ALL the attendeees in rotational groups with 20 minutes allocated per group
LANDING ZONE EXHIBITOR (NO COST) Business name in Landing Zone Program Business name on MTAQ event website Site allocation 3m x 3m
To exhibit at the Landing Zone please email info@mtaq.com.au
Contents Official Publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland
Search for MTA Queensland
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
MTA Queensland and MTA Institute actively promotes our four social media platforms and encourages all our members and MTA Institute clients to connect with us via these channels. Simply search “MTA Queensland.”
EDITOR Jonathan Nash
Each social media platform contains different information and this is a terrific way to stay on top of industry news, upcoming events, MTA Institute courses and the latest benefits for Association members. We see our social media platforms as an additional important communication method, alongside Motor Trader and Member Bulletin emails.
ART DIRECTOR Marco Ilinic INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Ted Kowalski Paul Murray POLICY Kellie Dewar, General Manager MTA Queensland ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Barry Browne 03 9807 9154 Email: barry@barrybrownemedia.com.au EDITORIAL Editorial submissions are welcomed but cannot be guaranteed placement. For more information telephone the Editor 07 3237 8777 SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including GST) Australia: $72.60 annually Overseas: $110 annually
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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.
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MTA QUEENSLAND ABN: 74 028 933 848
02 From the editor
CORPORATE PARTNERS
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04 From the desk of the CEO 05 Policy/Viewpoint 08 MTA Q&A PAUL & LESLEY STEPHENS FROM CJD MECHANICAL REPAIRS
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Feature 10 OFF TO THE RACES. MTAQ ENTERS THE WORLD OF MOTORSPORT 16 Members Classic FIRST-CLASS FASTBACK: 1968 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK
MEMBERS ESSENTIALS
19 Training GM's Professional Circle perspective 20 Professional Circle training 21 Member matters 26 Member profiles 28 Industrial relations 30 Concept Corner TOYOTA FT-4X 32 Industry insight TIME MANAGEMENT – FIVE USEFUL TIPS May 2017 Motor Trader | 1
From the editor
JONATHAN NASH EDITOR
H
ELLO AND WELCOME to the May 2017 edition of Motor Trader. This month, the MTA Queensland embarks on an exciting new adventure - motorsport. On the weekend of May 20-21, the fledgling MTAQ Racing Team will take to the grid at Morgan Park Raceway in Warwick and begin its involvement in the fast and furious world of motor racing with its debut in the Hyundai Excel X3 Series. Racing the venerable old Excel, the X3 Series is an entry-level competition designed to foster and encourage the growth of motorsport through a
category that is both affordable and, through regulation of the set-up of the cars, one that offers a level playing field for all. With more than 20 cars due to take their places on the track for the first meeting of the season, it will be an exciting scrap for the top podium spot. The long road to the starting grid began at the end of 2016 when MTA Queensland established the MTAQ Racing Team and, since then, plenty of hard work has been put in to prepare the team's Excel for a life on the track. The race car and the MTAQ Racing Team represent not only an ambitious initiative to be involved with grassroots motorsport, but are also a unique training tool. Preparation of the car has meant many MTA Institute apprentices have had a chance to be involved and it has been fantastic to see so many students, from a range of disciplines - paint and panel, mechanical, auto electrical and others - grasp that opportunity. It has been a brilliant journey so far and with the first race due to take place at the end of the month, it is only just beginning. It's going to be a fun ride! Turn to pages 10-14 for more. Along with our regular features such as MTA Q&A, Member's Classic and
Industrial Relations news, this month we also speak to a couple of members who lived through the nightmare that was Cyclone Debbie. The massive storm, that hit Queensland at the end of March, caused colossal damage and the brunt of its force was felt in the area where it made landfall in the north of the state. In our story on pages 22 and 23, we talk with Colin Thorburn, from Airlie Auto Recyclers in Cannonvale, and Ben Hancock, from Crossley Holden in Proserpine, who share their stories of the cyclone's ferocity and the ongoing recovery from it. No doubt their stories are shared by many members in towns across the state and we wish everyone affected a speedy recovery and swift return to normality. I hope you enjoy this edition of Motor Trader and remember, if you have a story worth telling, want to appear in Member Profiles, or have a classic car, bike or truck you would like to see featured, then please contact me.
Cheers, Jonathan Nash jonathann@mtaq.com.au
ADVERTISE ON OUR JOBS BOARD MTA Queensland has launched a FREE Jobs Board and employment section on our website, which contains valuable resources for employers and enables you to advertise positions available in the automotive industry. See www.mtaq.com.au/Membership/Jobs-Board for more information.
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Commonwealth Bank helps MTA Queensland members get Vehicle and Equipment Finance fast and simple.
Commonwealth Bank understands that putting the latest equipment to work in your business increases productivity and helps you grow in an increasingly challenging and competitive market. Fast and Simple Commonwealth Bank’s Equipment Finance facilities are designed to provide members with cost effective solutions including easy applications and fast processes. Their SmartSign® technology lets you review and sign your finance agreements anywhere, anytime. You only need a phone and online access via a computer, tablet or smartphone. There’s no need to print contracts, obtain a witness signature or even find a pen as this is done electronically. A solution that’s right for MTA Queensland members Whatever the equipment you need, Commonwealth Bank has a range of finance options to help keep your business moving. These include: • Equipment Loans, Hire Purchases, and Leases
• Medical and Technology Managed Rentals
• Equipment Import Finance and Energy Efficient Loans
• Pre-approvals to help you negotiate the best possible price on the equipment
• Vehicle Fleet Finance and Management
• Progressive Loans that fund equipment as it is being built over time
Whatever you need to run your business, Commonwealth Bank is ready to help. To find our more, contact MTA Queensland on 07 3237 8777.
Important Information: Applications for finance are subject to credit approval and the suitability of the asset. Commonwealth Bank of Australia reserves the right to require finance arrangements to be made with any Commonwealth Bank of Australia subsidiary. Bank fees and government charges may apply. Applicants consent to their name and merchant identification being provided to MTA Queensland to confirm their membership and eligibility. MTA Queensland may receive a fee from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for each successful referral. Referral Fees are not payable on referrals from existing relationship managed Commonwealth Bank customers. As this advice has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on the advice, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. You should seek independent, professional tax advice before making any decision based on this information. Full terms and conditions are included in our documentation or available from commbank.com.au Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL and Australian credit license 234945.
From the desk of the CEO
BRETT DALE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MTA QUEENSLAND
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HEN YOU READ this From the Desk of the CEO, I will have been at the CEO’s desk for 12 months. I’ve enjoyed every moment, but there have been challenges requiring difficult decisions. Through collaboration and goodwill, the Association now has the governance, professionalism and skills to progress with confidence. I thank the Board and staff for their support and co-operation. Our focus has been on reviewing the current financial year and planning for the next. This has been a major activity, centring on business performance review and corporate office planning whilst maintaining ongoing stakeholder engagement. A priority has been the Strategic Plan (SP) 2016-18 which sets the objectives to be achieved by the corporate office.
I’ve tested our compliance and delivery processes against the objectives set by the MTA Queensland Board when implementing the Plan at its 2016 AGM. At the Board’s third quarter review of the SP, I reported the Association ‘has achieved or is on track’ to meeting the Board’s objectives. On another matter, a holistic business approach has been applied to membership numbers so that these incorporate businesses engaged with training. In addition, as a result of the Carmageddon (I) symposium, the innovative ambitions around automation, technology and digitisation have been embedded in the SP.
ACTIVITIES In last month’s From the Desk of the CEO, I mentioned that, as a consequence of the Carmageddon symposium, a discussion with Jobs Queensland resulted in a proposal for our participation in a focus group on apprenticeships and training relevant to the automotive value chain. Pleasingly, this transpired at which we had broad Member representation to provide industry intelligence to Jobs Queensland around emerging technologies and workforce priorities. On the issue of apprenticeships, I signed off on our submission to the Department of Education and Training’s Advancing Skills for the Future discussion paper. We, as an Industry Peak Body and Registered Training Organisation
SEVEN-DAY TRADING HOURS I AM PLEASED TO report that we have had some success in our endeavours on the issue of seven-day trading for motor dealers. It has been an on-going saga but the Parliamentary Committee report on the issue came down at the beginning of the month and, to our delight, supports the Association's longheld position that existing motor dealer retail trading hours should be retained. The report read: The Motor Trades Association Queensland (MTAQ) stated that there is no empirical evidence of consumers seeking Sunday trading for the motor vehicle dealing sector.
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The consensus view of its members is that the current QIRC Trading Hours Non-exempt Shops Selling Motor Vehicles State Order be retained with no changes and the Bill be amended to reflect this view. The deregulation should not proceed unless simultaneous and appropriate amendments are made and stapled to industry and industrial relations provisions that apply to the motor vehicle sector. The report's recommendations are a sign that through patience, persistence, and putting forward a consistent message, MTAQ and its members can influence the future of our industry.
(RTO), were supportive of the goals and actions enunciated for the Vocational Education Training (VET) system. It was our view that the addition of bold and specific initiatives would enhance the actions. We suggested, for example, increased support for recognised skills sets (i.e. hybrid training) to raise the skill levels of the current workforce, and greater financial support to deliver training in regional and remote areas. A point highlighted in the submission was that the primary focus was on the Technical and Further Education sector as the provider of VET with only a cursory reference to private providers/RTOs which deliver specialised industry training. From our perspective, disappointingly other than via submissions, engagement with Department of Education and Training has been negligible. It is essential that there should be a state-based mechanism to determine training priorities and investment, and gather intelligence for the national advisory entities. Ideally this is a weakness that should be remedied. A state-based industry advisory body to reflect Queensland’s skills requirement should be re-established as a priority. I attended the inaugural Strategic Industry Skills Committee with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Skills for Australia and the relevant stakeholders. It was resolved that the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce will chair this entity
Our members have engaged in extensive consultations with Queensland Parliamentarians. In addition, individual MTAQ members gave evidence at regional Hearings of the Parliamentary Finance and Administrative Committee. At the Parliament House Brisbane Hearing, I gave evidence supporting the statements in our submission. Though any policy outcome will come via the Parliamentary debate on the Trading (Allowable Hours) Amendment Bill 2017, I applaud the efforts of everyone in promoting our position.
with operational support provided by the Chief Executive of PwC Skills for Australia CEO Sara Caplan and her team. I was appointed to the Committee and am pleased MTA Queensland has a voice at the table. The immediate priority was the review of Automotive Industry Skills Forecast and the proposed schedule of work for the next three years. We’ve provided feedback on each of these matters. As a consequence of our submission to the Review of Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme, Kellie Dewar and I met with Commissioner Neil Singleton to discuss issues relating to the scheme. We advocated that one future issue is the possible disruption caused by a need to accommodate technologicallyadvanced vehicles with aged vehicles within the class model. We had the feeling there was surprise with the rapid progress in vehicle innovation. Our submission supported the existing system within a framework that reflects the change in actuarial risk these technologies represent.
CARMAGEDDON II Carmageddon II ‘Leading the Way’ is set for 12th July. The keynote speaker is Professor Marek Kowalkiewicz, Chair of the PwC Digital Economy at the Queensland University of Technology. Other speakers include Queensland’s first Chief entrepreneur Mark Sowerby. Virtual Reality has ensnared the marketing of motor vehicles. I recently attended the Virtual Reality launch of the Hyundai i30 at Llewellyn Motors and experienced a Virtual Reality test drive of this vehicle. With goggles affixed to the head and in the passenger seat I examined in minute detail the safety features and new technologies of this tool. I was impressed. It means consumers anywhere will be able to download an App and test drive, from an inventory, the car of their choice. I’m keen to also have Lex Van Gooten, from Virtual Reality at Fire Station 101 in Ipswich, present this technology at Carmageddon II so that Members may see it at first hand. The Department of Transport and
Main Roads General Manager of Land Transport Denis Walsh sought to engage with us on the Department’s Autonomous Vehicle project. He expressed interest in collaborating on technical aspects of the project. I’ve received notification from the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources that it is holding public hearings as part of its inquiry into the social implications relating to driverless vehicles. This invitation to attend follows our submission to the inquiry. It is my intention to attend as a witness on behalf of the Association.
AND THE LAST THING As we gear up for a new financial year, big challenges lie ahead but I know we have the team to keep reshaping the MTA Queensland to be relevant in the midst of rapid technological change. Until May, as Henry Ford, the industrialist and the founder of the Ford motor company said, ‘execute ideas with enthusiasm . . . as it is the bottom of all progress’.
Policy/Viewpoint
KELLIE DEWAR DEPUTY GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER MEMBER SERVICES
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AY SITS ON the cusp of the end of financial year and by tradition is when the Federal Budget ‘comes down’. It is also, to paraphrase the Slim Dusty song, time for ‘Looking forward, (and) looking back’. And that is what we at Corporate Services have been doing. ‘Looking forward’, we’ve started the preparations for the Annual General Meeting/s. I again draw Members' attention to the Australian Electoral
Commission’s (AEC) notification in this Motor Trader for written nominations for Divisional Committee Members, a Far North District Representative (1) and a Central District Representative (1). The Divisions are: Automotive Remarketing Division (5); Engine Re-Conditioners Association of Qld (5); Service Station and Convenience Store Association of Qld and Rental Vehicle Industry Division(7); Rental Vehicle Industry Division (5); and Auto Parts Recyclers Division (5). Nominations opened on 1 May 2017 and must be lodged with the Brisbane AEC office or postal address no later than 5pm 1 June 2017. Nomination forms are on the website and, if sent to me, I will ensure their lodgement on behalf of nominees. I look forward to a strong response - please don’t leave it to the last minute! ‘Looking back’, our Third Quarter Report Card indicates strong activity across all MTA Queensland’s operations. From the perspective of Corporate Services, there were 667 direct Member engagements and 1,602 phone/ email industrial relations queries.
Our advocacy activities included 35 Ministerial, Senior Department and key industry stakeholder meetings and 5 submissions. I’m proud action as they are premised on service and advancing the interests of Members and the standing of the Association as the peak industry body. The Report is a strong indicator of the value of being a MTA Queensland Member. Over the past 12 months, much attention has been given to our governance arrangements to ensure that we comply with the legislative requirements of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Act 2016 (the Act). This Act established the Registered Organisations Commission (ROC), headed by a Commissioner, and changes the responsibilities and obligations of registered organisations. These matters include annual reports, elections, financial reports, education, statutory governance training, statutory officer disclosures and registration of auditors. The ROC took effect from 1 May 2017. The Fair Work Commission will continue to oversee registrations, May 2017 Motor Trader | 5
Policy/Viewpoint amalgamations, deregistrations, rules, right of entry permits (and training) disputes, dismissal and appeals.
DOB IN A BACKYARDER I’ve not mentioned our Dob in A Backyarder initiative for some time and there is a good reason to mention it now. Following an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation, a Gold Coast couple in April 2017 was ordered to pay $30,000 in fines by the Southport Magistrates Court for multiple consumer law and motor dealing offences. The unlawful acts included making false and misleading representations about mileage and acting as an unlicensed motor salesperson. One of the vehicles sold had been wound back by more than 625,000 kms! Odometer tampering is a serious offence, so don’t forget the Dob in A Backyarder is still on the website for you to report unlawful practices. We will ensure that postings are forwarded to the OFT for investigation.
REPORTS Two reports - The Australian Consumer Law (ACLR) Review Final Report and Review of Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme - to which we had made several submissions, have been released. Each report has recommendations, if adopted by the respective Governments, that will affect particular aspects of the automotive value chain. The ACLR stressed the intention to continue to initiate the microeconomic reforms to stimulate business and identifies areas where the law should be improved. There is specific reference in the ACLR to the importance to the economy of small/medium enterprises and that these should be entitled to the same protections as consumers as often they too are consumers when dealing with big business. A number of proposals in the report refer to the compliance burdens faced by small business as both traders and consumers. These include proposals relating to the consumer guarantees, product safety, unsolicited consumer agreements and unfair contract terms. If the recommendations are 6 | Motor Trader May 2017
accepted, the status of statutory warranties will be enhanced and the requirement for manufacturers to reform product warranties will be reinforced. Special attention is given to extended warranties. The report recommends that if extended warranties are offered in respect of any product, consumers should be informed about the benefits beyond that provided by statutory warranties. There is a proposal that clarifies the law so that a consumer may establish a major failure. The example is given of multiple issues with a vehicle that, collectively, would be sufficient to deter a reasonable consumer from buying it. The proposal may address concerns regarding ‘lemon vehicles’. It must be noted that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is currently undertaking a New Car Retailing Industry Market Study. It is likely that the results from that study will address the issue of ’lemon laws’ in greater detail. The ACLR envisages Original Equipment Manufacturers having to take greater responsibility for their product when supporting dealers or marketing agents who represent their product and have front-line responsibility for warranties and guarantees. The ACLR is available on the Consumer Law website. The Review of Queensland’s Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme (the CTPR) did not recommend significant changes. The CTPR explored the risks and benefits of private versus public underwriting models. The finding was that the potential benefits of private underwriting remained attractive although not necessarily present in the Queensland scheme. The Committee recommended that the State retain private underwriting, noting the need to pursue a number of other recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies. The expectation was that when the current scheme was introduced in 2000 it would encourage more market participants and therefore sharpen premium offerings and provide other benefits for motorists as insurers competed for market share. The CRPR
indicated that there was an absence of price competition and recommended some form of limited risk rating be explored further with stakeholders to determine whether this would generate price competition and lead to more affordable premiums for motorists. The CRPR indicated issues with the Affordability Index and questioned whether it provided an actual representation of what would be considered affordable. It recommended this Index and measures relating to average weekly earnings be removed from the legislation and that the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) develop appropriate benchmarks to enable assessment of the scheme’s health particularly around affordability, efficiency and motorist and claimant satisfaction. It is not recommended that these benchmarks be set in legislation, to allow MAIC scope to review the merits of these benchmarks as scheme conditions change, ensuring their ongoing relevance. It was noted in the CTPR that the Nominal Defendant Scheme functions well and provided the Queensland Government with a valuable insight into the CTP scheme.
FINALLY I draw Members' attention to a handy fuel tax credit calculator that contains the latest rates and is quick and easy to use. It can be used to work out the fuel tax credit amount to report on your BAS. It can be accessed at www.ato.gov.au/Business/Fuelschemes/Fuel-tax-credits---business/ Working-out-your-fuel-tax-credits/ It has long been our practice to make a Federal pre-budget submission. On the lead up to the May Budget, I’m engrossed in reading between the lines for any hints on contents relevant to Member’s businesses. After its release, I pore over the detail for changed or new programs and policies germane to the automotive value chain. More Federal Budget information that relates to the motor trades is on our website. Until June, when the Budget content will be known, take care and stay safe.
Planning for a super future Matthew Webster, 45 has a long way to go before he hangs up his hat, but is easily able to picture his retirement years. He plans to grey nomad it around Australia in a caravan with his wife, once he convinces her that it will be a lot more fun than she expects. Matt has spent his career in the motor trades and is well on the way to ensuring he has enough super to be able to see the nation in comfort. He started an apprenticeship in 1986 at the age of 16 and now works in an automotive training role in NSW. He became an MTAA Super member when it was first established in 1989. “I’m really happy I’ve been with MTAA Super. It’s the industry super fund for my trade and has been supporting careers in the automotive industry for over 25 years.” “I’m still a long way off retirement but I do think about what I will do when I stop working and how I will support myself and my family.” Matt, like many Australians is not alone in his concern about life after work. We can now expect to spend more time in
retirement than any previous generation, thanks to changing work patterns and increased life expectancy. Leeanne Turner, CEO of MTAA Super mentions “As people start drawing closer to the 60-mark, they begin to think more seriously about what they would like to do in their retirement and how they will be able to finance it. With people living longer, weak interest rates and stricter rules around the age pension, these concerns have come to the forefront like never before.” Leeanne shares, “The key is to take advantage of the compounding nature of superannuation. Super gives the opportunity not just to grow one’s employer and voluntary contributions but to grow the investment returns on these contributions as well.” “Small amounts can go a long way. Making extra contributions as little as $25 per week early in your career can result in thousands of dollars over a 30+ year working life.”
“Extra super contributions can be particularly important for people in casual or part time employment as well as those who’ve needed to take career breaks to raise a family or care for sick or elderly relatives.” With increasing life expectancy, many Australians could be in retirement for over 25 years and may well need to look at ways to boost their super such as salary sacrifice contributions and personal contributions.
Give your super a boost! For ways to give your super a boost while you’re still working visit mtaasuper.com.au/take-control.
1300 362 415 mtaasuper.com.au/take-control
This article is issued by Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238 718) of Level 3, 39 Brisbane Avenue Barton ACT 2600, Trustee of the MTAA Superannuation Fund (ABN 74 559 365 913). Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited has ownership interests in Industry Super Holdings Pty Ltd and Members Equity Bank Limited. The information provided is of a general nature and does not take into account your specific needs or personal situation. You should assess your financial position and personal objectives before making any decision based on this information. We also recommend that you seek advice from a licensed financial adviser. The MTAA Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), an important document containing all the information you need to make a decision about MTAA Super, can be obtained by calling MTAA Super on 1300 362 415 or visiting mtaasuper.com.au/handbooks. You should consider the PDS in making a decision.
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What products and services does CJD Mechanical Repairs provide?
PS: Repairs, diagnostics and maintenance - from basic servicing to full overhauls, mechanical or electronic –on Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge products.
When and why did you establish CJD Mechanical Repairs?
Lesley and Paul Stephens
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PS: I have been working on Chrysler and Jeep products for the last 20 years, have been a Chrysler Master Technician for many years, and I just like the product. Working on Chrysler and Jeep products can be challenging and if you don’t understand the systems and how things work, they can be frustrating. For example, the relationship with parts is complicated - in some models you can have crossovers from when Daimler were involved with Chrysler, whereas today's models would be crossovers with Fiat. Chrysler also change things a lot and you must be aware of that too. You must know the parts and know that one particular part may have been used on only one particular model, and perhaps for just one model year. Anyway, I was working for a dealership here on the Gold Coast and it was hard for me to ignore the fact that I could do better with the vehicles. It’s not always about the numbers - there's the satisfaction in getting the vehicles working correctly. That is a good feeling. Knowing that, it seemed like a good idea to go into things for myself. LS: We were living in New Zealand and were looking at opening our own business there. For one reason or another that didn’t work out and, about four years ago, Paul saw an advert for a Chrysler technician on the Gold Coast. After about a year here, we took the opportunity to open CJD Mechanical in Southport. This was something we always wanted to do and we saw there was a gap here on the Gold Coast where no one
Paul and Lesley Stephens have owned and run CJD Mechanical Repairs on the Gold Coast for three years. Specialising in vehicles from Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, the couple have established a business that has a reputation for excellence – a reputation that has been built on their passion for the work and their pursuit of providing the highest standards of service to their customers. specialising in these makes. We could see that this was the right place. We had been in Southport for about 18 months and were getting very busy. One day, when things were a bit chaotic – we were short of space and had cars everywhere – one of our customers mentioned that we should be looking for a bigger place. He is the owner of a lot of commercial buildings, so I asked whether he knew of anywhere. He said he did and we came out to view this shop. I was blown away by it and could see straight away that it was going to work – the amount of space and the location were a real draw. PS: We had been renting the Southport premises, and everything in it – the ramps, compressors and so on – were part of the rental deal. This facility was an empty space, a big grey box really, so we moved in and invested in new tools and new equipment to complete the shop. That investment is something we will continue to do to ensure we keep up with the industry’s technological changes.
What is your background in the industry? PS: I have always been interested in cars - anything with wheels really. My father was a mechanical engineer whose job took him all over the Middle East. I went along too and eventually started working in Saudi Arabia. I actually worked for a time in the shop of a Saudi prince where we would service anything from a golf cart to a Rolls-Royce. The prince's 'customers' were his family and friends and they were all very wealthy - the families could have ten or more vehicles - and would bring all sorts of cars to be serviced with us. It was a fully-equipped shop and I was responsible for the rebuild and restoration work on the prince’s collection of classic American cars. They included a Trans Am, a Camaro,
a GTO, big Cadillacs and an Impala. It was a good job! Lesley and I met while I was in Saudi Arabia and eventually we moved back to the UK where I worked with Chrysler for about five years. LS: I was a nurse in Saudi Arabia when Paul and I met but I gave up nursing when we came back to the UK and had children. It was when we had our two children that we realised we weren’t really happy in the UK and began looking for somewhere we felt would be a better place to bring them up. We looked around and chose NZ where we eventually moved, becoming based in the North Island in the Hamilton/ Cambridge area. I did think about going back into nursing in NZ but we were considering starting the business at that point and I started focusing on that. A few years later, we moved to the Gold Coast and established CJD Mechanical.
How many staff do you have and are family members involved in the business? PS: There is just the two of us at the moment. I am in the workshop and Lesley runs the office. LS: We have two children – our daughter is 18 and at university and our son is 15 and at high school – but they have expressed no interest in the trade. PS: We’ve never asked them to be involved. Education is very important and we have pushed that importance. They know their dad has brains in doing the job that he does but it is physical, hard work and they are keen on doing their own thing.
Things are obviously going well. Do you see a point where you will take on another tradesperson or apprentice? PS: At the moment I am coping, but our booking list is getting longer and we are getting close to taking on another
person. The question is whether we take on someone who is experienced or take on an apprentice and give them the training and experience to do the work the way I want it to be done. I’d also want someone who enjoys the job because it isn’t easy work.
To what do you attribute your success? LS: Paul is very pedantic about the work. He doesn’t like to rush anything and the job has to be done right. He has an amazing passion for the work too – he lives and breathes it – and I think that is apparent to our customers. At a dealership, they rarely get to talk to the technician working on their vehicle but Paul always gives them the time to explain the work. That is important. PS: I really enjoy what I do - taking things apart and figuring out what’s going wrong. The more you can concentrate and put 100 per cent effort in, the more satisfying it is for you, and indeed for the customer.
What does the future hold? PS: We are working on that, have thought about it, and asked ourselves the questions, ‘Where are we going? How big do we go?’. Can it get bigger and be done right? That is the question. It has to be done properly and that is something we are tackling now.
What do you do in your spare time, if you have any? PS: We don’t have a lot of spare time but we love going to the beach and we would like to do some 4WD trips when time does allow. I love motocross and used to compete, but haven’t for a long time. Classic car rebuilding was another part of my life which I enjoyed, and if I had the time that is probably something I would be doing too. May 2017 Motor Trader | 9
O
N THE WEEKEND of May 20-21, the MTAQ Racing Team will take its place on the starting grid at Morgan Park Raceway in Warwick for the first race meeting of the Hyundai Excel X3 Series. It will be the debut appearance for the team and the first competitive run for a Hyundai Excel that a dedicated CLICK TO group of MTA Institute trainers, apprentices and race team
THE TRACK – MORGAN PARK RACEWAY LOCATED ON THE outskirts of Warwick, 170km south-west of Brisbane, Morgan Park Raceway has been a mainstay of the motorsport scene in Queensland for decades. Founded in 1965 when the Warwick District Sporting Car Club was granted access to land at Morgan Park, what was once a 730m track has been expanded and modernised over the years to become a vibrant and vital focal point for motorsport.
10 | Motor Trader May 2017
VISIT THE WEBSITE
support crew of William Salmon, Gerard Field and Elliott Lemmon, have spent turning from a rather tired, 17-year-old hatchback to a tuned-up, spruced-up race car. It's a car that team driver David Wood will use to take on all-comers in a motorsport series that is fast becoming oneTO of the most popular in Queensland. CLICK CLICK TO by Series X3 Queensland Inc. VISITEstablished five years agoVISIT
MTAI.EDU.AU & LEARN MORE
The Raceway is now 3km long and 11 circuits within its complex series of track – from the short 720m Circuit A to the 3km Circuit K – are used for racing. Over the years, many elite competitions have held meetings at CLICK Morgan TO ParkGO and this year the Raceway CLICK TO FOLLOW THE will host a number DIRECT TO of categories MTAQ RACING including the Qld Super Sprint Series, THE PAGE TEAM the Australia Superbike Championship and the Hyundai Excel X3 Series. With its track recently resurfaced, Morgan Park Raceway will be in tip-top shape come the end of May, and the first Hyundai X3 meeting is sure to be CLICK CLICK TO packed withTOexcitement.
VISIT PARKER’S BODY SHOP WEBSITE
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CLICK TO VISIT THE CJD MECHANICAL WEBSITE
CLICK TO VISIT THE MORGAN PARK RACEWAY WEBSITE
CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO CLICK TO VISIT THE OFT WEBSITE
© 2017 CNES / Astrium, Cnes/Spot Image, DigitalGlobe, Map data © 2017 Google
CLICK TO GO DIRECT TO THE PAGE
CLICK TO VISIT PARKER’S BODY SHOP Alot of work went in to WEBSITE transforming the MTAQ Race Team car. The entire vehicle was stripped to the bare chassis and overhauled or rebuilt steering, suspension, engine and transaxle. It went through an open-door respray in PPG Jet Black and work inside included a custom roll cage, dash assembly, battery relocation and full electrical rewire.
CLICK TO FOLLOW THE MTAQ RACING TEAM
CLICK TO VISIT THE DORE’S GOODYEAR AUTOCARE WEBSITE
Image courtesy of Digital Realism
- which organises and manages the competition the Hyundai Excel X3 Series is a grassroots racing championship, designed to foster and encourage the growth of motorsport through a category that is both affordable and, through regulation of the set-up of the cars, one that offers a level playing field for all. “Series X3 Queensland Inc. was formed in 2012 with the THE SERIES intention of establishing a THE HYUNDAI EXCEL X3 Series budget entry-level category kicks off at Morgan Park for Hyundai Excel X3 Series Raceway on May 20-21. Race Vehicles within the The Series consists of three Confederation of Australian rounds at Morgan Park and one Motor Sport (CAMS) system,” other national event at a date said Sean Beggs, Secretary of and venue to be confirmed. Series X3 Queensland Inc. A race meeting consists “The series provides a of one qualifying session and cost-effective pathway into three races over the weekend. CAMS Circuit Racing and caters Qualifying is on Saturday to everyone from the beginner morning with Race One held on that wishes to start their racing Saturday afternoon. Two races career, to the more experienced are held on the Sunday. racer. Strictly controlled Race length will be regulations mean that the between 8 to 12 laps. emphasis is on a driver’s race
craft and car setup - it’s not TO all aboutCLICK horsepower or THE wallet.” who hasVISIT the largest CJD While regulations MECHANICAL require the installation of WEBSITE safety features such as a roll cage, Mr Beggs said other modifications are minor in scope, meaning drivers and teams can use widely available CLICK TO standard parts. VISIT THE “Compared to other OFT forms of racing, the WEBSITE accessibility and simplicity of a Hyundai Excel creates a great opportunity for most people to be able to build their own race car.” The affordable nature of the Hyundai Excel X3 Series has seen rapid growth in participation. The first year of competition saw just six cars taking part – this year, more than 20 teams are expected to fight it out for the championship title. The racing will be furious and make for extremely entertaining viewing but, said Mr Beggs, the rivalries are friendly and there’s a level of camaraderie involved between competitors befitting the category’s grassroots status. “The numbers have grown because the class offers an affordable form of racing and provides some close door-to-door action,” he said. “But the competitors are a friendly bunch, and we often see drivers helping each other to fix issues so everyone can be involved in the racing. "As with most groups, the people are a major influence on the success. Our club members enjoy some fantastic racing, with very few on-track incidents and we have already seen one of our previous competitors move into a national class. It’s a great stepping stone into circuit racing in Australia.”
CLICK TO VISIT THE MORGAN PARK RACEWAY THE SPONSORS WEBSITE
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May 2017 Motor Trader | 11
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For MTA Queensland, getting involved with the Hyundai Excel X3 Series ticks a lot of boxes. It fulfils a long-term ambition to be involved in motorsport and has provided an exciting and significant tool to the Association’s already formidable array of training resources. Apprentices training with the MTA Institute have had the chance to work on the car as it has gone through its pre-season preparation and will continue to do so throughout the year between race meetings. And students from just about every trade - including mechanical apprentices, panel beaters, spray painters, auto electricians and tyre
fitters – have been, and will be, involved. Additionally, the three members of the Race Team Support Crew – William Salmon, Gerard Field and Elliott Lemmon – have been deeply involved in preparing the car and will be at the track for each meeting, working hard with set-up, tuning and support to ensure the team’s driver, David Wood, has the best machine available at all times. “It has been an exciting project,” said Marcello Riotto, MTA Institute’s Operations Manager who has been coordinating the assembly and fit-out of the car. “Part of the reason behind this project was that many of our apprentices would get exposure to the car and learn what is required to be part of a motorsport outfit. We have had more than 30 students from all trades work on the car and they have responded fantastically well and been really pumped to be part of it. “William, Gerard and Elliott are a great, young team who work exceptionally well together,” he added. “They have formed a very strong bond and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to work with. They bring a great element of enthusiasm to the project.” For David Wood, the team’s driver and a veteran motorsport campaigner who began his career driving in Queensland’s Gemini series 20 years ago, there is also more to taking part in the Hyundai Excel X3 Series than the racing. The partnership between David and MTA Queensland not only allows him to compete but ensures the sport he is
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David Wood
David racing a Subaru WRX at the 2010 Bathurst 12-hour race
THE MTAQ RACING Team will be led by David Wood, one of Queensland’s most accomplished and experienced drivers. From Brisbane but now living and working on the Gold Coast with the Suns AFL club, the 38-year-old has been competing in motorsport for more than 20 years. With successful stints in the Queensland Gemini Racing Series, the Queensland Improved Production Car Championship, Formula Ford and Australian Production Car Championship behind him, David will be one of the most experienced drivers to line up on the track for the Hyundai Excel X3 Series. Even with all that experience, preparing for the start of a new racing season, and in a new category
to boot, is an exciting time and David is expecting the racing to be fast, furious and extremely competitive. “There are other categories at the local level in Queensland,” he said. “But the appeal of the Hyundai Excel X3 Series is that it is growing so rapidly. Here is a category that, at only five years old, is already on the verge of being the biggest category in the state. “It is reasonably cost-effective; the cars are simple and with the number of participants in the series we can test ourselves against the best from across the state.” To be a racing driver demands a competitive spirit and, of course, a passion for the sport – two qualities that David has in abundance. A racing fan since he was a young
lad, being involved in motorsport in some way during his life was always on the cards. “I watched the Bathurst 1000 on TV when I was a very impressionable 4-year-old and I was hooked,” he said. “It was the very early ‘80s and was a golden era for Australian motorsport with drivers such as Peter Brock, Dick Johnson and Allan Moffatt, and for the next ten years or so I watched, recorded and rewatched just about every motorsport event until I reached the point where I could get involved myself.” That involvement started with attending events at the Lakeside Raceway before morphing into ‘gophering’ for teams and ultimately into buying a Holden Gemini to take
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Image courtesy of Digital Realism
Image courtesy of Digital Realism
passionate about gets a real boost through its association with Queensland’s automotive industry peak body. “This series allows people to come back in at an entry level and it feels like going back to where it all started – it’s the modern-day Gemini series,” he said. “Being able to come back into the sport at a lower level is all about fun while maintaining that competitive edge and with the Series on the verge of becoming the biggest category in Queensland, part in that category's local series. “The Queensland Gemini series was red hot all through the ‘90s,” said David. “It was super-competitive and I raced in that category for about four years, coming second in the championship once and third twice.” In 2001, he stepped up to the Queensland Improved Production Car Championship, racing a rotary-powered Mazda RX3 to a championship victory at his first attempt. A brief period racing in the open-wheel Formula Ford category in 2003 was followed by a return to the Gemini Series and then a step up in class in 2008 to the Australian Production Car Championship. Racing a Subaru WRX, the series enabled David to test himself against some of the nation’s most talented drivers at some of the sport’s most iconic venues including Bathurst, Eastern Creek and Phillip Island. Though hampered by a slower car, the results during the series proved to David he had the right stuff to compete with the sport’s big boys. “The Bathurst 12-hour attracted some really good drivers and it was great to be able to test myself against some of the very best, including James Moffat, Glenn Seton, John Bowe and Russel Ingall,” he said. “The Subaru
was not an outright contender but we had some really good results there. In 2010, we were headed for a podium finish before a hub broke resulting in us finishing seventh. “Racing at Bathurst is every driver’s dream and the 2010 race is a highlight,” he added. “We started that event 22nd out of 48 cars but by the fourth hour we were in the top ten and were eventually challenging for third. While I was driving, I caught and past a couple of V8 drivers and that was interesting . . . when you drift past them and see the notable names on the window you think, ‘Yep, that just happened!’. “That was the day when the questions about whether I was good enough were answered.” In 2012, David took time away from the sport to focus on business commitments, but the opportunities the Hyundai Excel X3 Series offers has lured him back to the track. As for how the series will go, David said that even though the MTAQ Race Team was making its debut, expectations were high for a solid performance. “We want to succeed, of course, and hopefully we can do that,” he said. “If we can finish in the top three in our first year that would be a great result for us.”
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and with the numbers of teams that are expected to take part, it will be very entertaining and very competitive. “I am also passionate about the business side of the sport and partnering with MTA Queensland means there is an opportunity to put the spotlight on the grassroots SUSPENSION SUPPLIER side of things – something that will benefit the sport in the state. www.mcasuspension.com “And the training MCA SUSPENSION IS a high-end, opportunities that are custom motorsport suspension available are obvious,” he manufacturer based in Queensland. added. “The opportunity We build, from scratch and in-house, to bring new people into some of the best suspension in the the sport who may not be a world to suit any vehicle for any driver but may want to be application. Whilst specialising in an engineer or be involved Gravel Rally, Tarmac Rally, Time in some other way - it just Attack, Circuit Racing and Drifting made sense to partner with we have designed and built premium MTA Queensland.” suspension packages for almost every For MTA Queensland’s form of motorsport on the planet. CEO, Dr Brett Dale, the And because we design and build our MTAQ Racing Team own suspension in house, we can project is one that solidifies make something to suit any car, no the Association’s forwardmatter the configuration or level of thinking community modification. MCA has well and truly cemented itself as the go-to brand for involvement and studentautomotive suspension excellence. training credentials. “This is a really exciting project,” he said. “It is a great community venture, an opportunity to expand the profile of our brand and, for apprentices, offers the opportunity to get involved with a legitimate motorsport venture. The MTAQ Racing Team will serve as an inspiration to them, and to everyone who is part of MTA Queensland.”
MCA SUSPENSION
To follow MTAQ Racing Team news, go to www.mtaq.com.au/MTAQ-Racing-Team. May 2017 Motor Trader | 13
THE SUPPORT CREW
THE SPONSORS
GERARD FIELD
KUSTOM VINYLS
The MTAQ Racing Team Support Crew have been working hard to prepare the race car for its track debut. As well as prepping the car for the upcoming season, the trio will also be working pit lane on race day. It's going to be hard work, but alot of fun . . . So, who are they?
Gerard has a long-term career ambition to be involved in motorsport. The first-year light vehicle apprentice was, until recently, working on a motorcycle apprenticeship. However, he recently switched over to light vehicle and now works at Sunshine Volvo on the Gold Coast. Being part of the MTAQ Race Team Support Crew was an opportunity not to be missed and he moved to join the team as soon as the project was announced. “As soon as I saw the email, I jumped on it,” he said. “It is a great opportunity and it has been great to be a part of the team.” Gerard already has some experience working with high-performance cars, having begun his auto career on drag cars, top-fuel engines, dyno tuning and other high-performance related work while employed with a company on the Coast. He is keeping his skills sharp by working on one of his own cars. “I have a 1988 Volvo 240 that I have been doing some work on. I’ve just finished turbo-charging it and it is absolutely obnoxiously loud but fun to drive!” Working on the MTAQ Racing Team project and preparing the car for the upcoming season has been a great experience said Gerard, and one that would help him achieve his aim of one day working in the motorsport world. “Eventually I do want to work in motorsport,” he said. “To get experience on a race team, be it working with Excels or Supercars, is really great.”
ELLIOTT LEMMON
A THIRD-YEAR LIGHT vehicle apprentice with British vehicle specialist Greg Tunstall Mechanical in Ormiston, 19-year-old Elliott has always been enthusiastic about racing. And he has a some experience of the sport already. From age 9 to 15 he raced go-karts, he has been involved with a couple of teams at race meetings, and has also assisted a colleague from work who races a classic Triumph. No surprise then, that he applied to join the Support Crew as soon as he became aware of the opportunity. “I’ve always been keen on motorsport,” he said. “I’ve been addicted all my life really and I think I’ll always be involved. When I saw this opportunity, I really wanted to be part of it. It’s a very exciting project.” A dedicated and skilful apprentice, Elliott was selected as the MTAQ Apprentice of the Month for March 2017 and the skills that won him that award are evident not only at his workplace but also in the work he does during his time off. He has amassed half-a-dozen cars which he works on at home, including a VR manual ute which he has put some serious time into upgrading. 14 | Motor Trader May 2017
“I built the motor, lowered the suspension and basically made it as quick as I can get it to go without turbo-charging it,” he said. Those skills, and his passion for motorsport, have already been put to good use preparing the Hyundai for its debut race meeting and will be called on again throughout the season. But being a part of the Support Crew offers not only the opportunity to learn more about the sport he loves but also the chance to sharpen his skills for his day job. “Career-wise, I am interested in racing,” he said. “And learning about the different surroundings and the different skills needed to help a car finish a race is great. Being a part of the Support Crew is also a great extension to my apprenticeship and I can take what I learn during the experience back to the workshop. It is a great project to be involved in.”
WILLIAM SALMON
WILLIAM, WHO WORKS for Maranoa Mechanical in the country town of St George, six hours west of Brisbane, is already an accomplished tradesman. The 23-year-old is dual-qualified in light vehicle and heavy vehicle and has amassed plenty of experience in other areas of automotive too. “We do a wide range of work at Maranoa Mechanical,” he said. “We do town cars such as Commodores, 4WDs and we are contractors for JJ Richards so we do all the maintenance on their garbage trucks. We also do road worthies and some on-farm work as well – so we might be doing the air-con in a dozer one day and wheel bearings on a Hyundai the next. “I’ll be doing my air-con certification soon and I am already a road worthy examiner for cars and trucks. There are lots of opportunities for training at the shop and that has been great.” As with the other members of the Support Crew, William has some experience of motorsport, though in his case it is of a pretty unusual category. “Each year at the local agricultural show we organise a Demolition Derby,” he said. “I’ve been involved in organising that with the shop and I did win it one year. It’s a bit different to normal racing, of course. Contact is implied and you win by being the last one still moving!" It was William’s boss who alerted him to the opportunity to join the Support Crew and William was keen to join the project and get involved. “I certainly would like to get involved more with the performance side of things,” he said. “This is a chance to get into something different and who knows who you might meet and where it might lead. It might open a door that I can stick my foot through. “It’s an exciting opportunity and it will be great to see how things go through the year knowing the work that we’ve put into the car.”
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FIRST-CLASS
FASTBACK T
HE MUSTANG IS one of the world’s most popular classic muscle cars. No surprise there. It was the first Pony car, plenty of them were made (and still are being made), and there really are few cars that can challenge its iconic status. Perhaps the most famous of the Mustang models, and the one considered the most visually striking, is the Fastback. That model’s sloping rear adds an aggressiveness that found its greatest expression in the hands of Steve McQueen in the 1968 movie Bullitt. Ever since then, it has been the model that much of the public associates with the Mustang name. This 1968 Fastback is owned by Andrew Bear, MTA Queensland’s Area Manager for the region from Brisbane’s south side to the NSW border. A car nut since he was a toddler, Andrew trained as a mechanic at his father’s workshop and spent 13 years on the tools before moving through dealership management ranks and eventually coming to work with MTA Queensland. In those two decades, he has owned and restored plenty of classic cars but the Fastback Mustang has always been high on his list of desirable motors. “I just love the ’67- ‘68 Fastback. It is my favourite shape and has great lines,” he says. “They are pretty hard to get in good condition and they are pretty sought after, so when they do come up for sale they go pretty quick. “I found this one in Victoria and bought it sight unseen. That can be a bit of a gamble but the owner told me about the work that had been done, sent through a few pictures,
16 | Motor Trader May 2017
and it looked like a good, honest car. It turned out to be a very good car indeed.” In fact, the car was so good that after years of using his mechanical skills to restore his previous vehicles, Andrew had only minor updates to make this time around. “As a mechanic by trade I do love bringing a car back to life,” he says. “However, after putting in a lot of time on previous cars, this one required the least amount of work. “The previous owner had it for about 15 years and had completed a full bare-metal paint job about five years ago which meant any issues with the body work were fixed. The car had also been converted to right-hand drive and that conversion had been done very well. “So, I have made only cosmetic changes since I bought it - I’ve lowered it, changed the bumper bars and rear lights, replaced the dash and centre console, installed a new grille and aluminium radiator and given it a tune-up.” With the right-hand drive conversion, the Mustang has obviously been heavily modified from its original factory set-up. Such changes are not always viewed favourably by collectors but, for Andrew, there are no such qualms about tweaking a classic car. “I like my cars to look cool, to sit nice and low, to perform well,” he says. “I am a mechanic by trade and I like to change things, install aftermarket elements and so on. It’s true that fully original cars are worth the most money but I love
MAKE: FORD MODEL: MUSTANG FASTBACK YEAR: 1968 ENGINE: 302ci V8 WINDSOR OWNER: ANDREW BEAR OWNED SINCE: 2015
tinkering, and while I would probably leave a completely original car alone, most of the cars I have owned had been modified in some way. “In my view, once the originality is gone, they become something of an open canvas and you can really express yourself. I enjoy being able to modify the car and make it what you want it to be.” For Andrew, then, the joy of owning a classic car is in the driving. Storing the car away and taking it for an occasional spin is not for him. “I enjoy driving it,” he says. “And it is a really nice drive. It has power steering, a good strong engine and a nice auto. Enjoying a classic car is what it is about for me - if you have one, enjoy it.” Andrew would know more about that than most people. The names of the classic cars he has owned and restored reads like part of a petrolhead’s ‘most wanted’ list, and they were not only used for a weekend’s enjoyable coastal cruise – there was fun to be had on the track too. “I did have an LC GTR Torana at one time,” he says. “That had a 308 V8 and I did a lot of track work and hill climbs in that – it was a weapon! “As for the others I have owned . . . My first car was an LX Torana and my second was an HT Monaro. After that I bought an HK Monaro on which I completed a full engine rebuild, a 9-inch diff conversion and plenty of other work.
DO YOU HAVE A PRIDE AND JOY IN THE GARAGE THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN THE PAGES OF MOTOR TRADER?
The LC GTR Contact Jonathan Nash at jonathann@ Torana followed mtaq.com.au or 07 3237 8721 and let’s that and I went see if we can share your classic on to buy a ‘67 with other members. Fastback which I spent 5 years turning into an ‘Eleanor’ Shelby GT500. I then had a ‘67 GT500 Shelby mock-up before getting this Mustang. “I wish I could get them all back now because they’re worth a lot more now than when I sold them. Sadly, you can’t keep all of your toys!” For now, Andrew will continue to enjoy the ’68 Fastback. The future, however, looks set to be filled with other, equally as brilliant, motors. “I’m always looking for classic cars,” he says. “There are some great cars out there and I like a lot of different types - even some of the newer stuff such as the (Skyline) R32 GTR. I am a car enthusiast so there is always something else around the corner. Let’s just say I’ve got a lot of cars on my bucket list and I am chipping my way through them!” May 2017 Motor Trader | 17
Right training.
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Right place. Right way.
GET YOUR SKILLS RECOGNISED
Working in the industry but have no formal qualifications? THE MTA INSTITUTE is now offering Trade Recognition for skilled and experienced individuals working in the automotive industry who wish to gain a formal trade qualification.
former trade qualifications and express a commitment to gaining the qualification in its entirety. • AUR30312 – Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology Although offered at MTA • AUR30412 – Certificate III inAgricultural Mechanical Technology Institute as a government-funded • AUR30612 – Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology Initiative, there is an additional • AUR30812 – Certificate III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology mandatory fee applicable to the • AUR31114 – Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology What is Trade Recognition? gap training components. This • AUR31212 – Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology will differ from person to person Funded by the State • AUR32112 – Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology based on competency, and the Government, Trade Recognition • AUR32412 – Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology fee is $1.60 per nominal hour for is a fantastic opportunity each unit of gap training needed for experienced automotive to complete the assessment. three months or less for the majority trade workers to gain a formal trade With limited positions available, all of participants. This is opposed to qualification in just a matter of months. applications for this highly sought-after the three to four years needed to The duration of the course is opportunity will be considered and gain a trade qualification through an customised to the individuals’ knowledge approved in order of date received. apprenticeship. and skills. However, the expectations are To be eligible, learners must be an that all undertaking Trade Recognition For further information or to apply Australian citizen, permanent resident or can achieve 60 per cent of a qualification now, contact training@mtai.edu.au a Refugee and Humanitarian Visa holder or more through the Recognition of living in Queensland. You must also have Prior Learning (RPL) assessment. six or more (current or recent) years of This opportunity means the government-funded Trade Recognition experience within the industry, providing undertaken at MTA Institute can be documentation as proof. Finally, learners RTO No: 31529 completed and signed off in potentially must be over the age of 21, have no
MTA Institute offers a Trade Skills Assessment and Gap Training Program for the following qualifications
MTA Institute
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Free guest Wifi at MTA Institute
20160436
Address Freeway Office Park, Building 8, 2728 Logan Road, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 Postal PO Box 4530, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113 Tel (07) 3722 3000 Toll Free 1800 884 137 Email training@mtai.edu.au Website mtai.edu.au
ESSENTIALS ESSENTIALS
PAUL KULPA GENERAL MANAGER MTA INSTITUTE
Contents 19 Training GM's Professional Circle perspective 20 Professional Circle training 21 Member matters 26 Member profiles
DORES GOODYEAR AUTOCARE TULLY PARKERS BODY SHOP
28 Industrial relations
T
HE GOAL OF the MTA Institute has always been to deliver worldclass automotive training. Be it apprenticeship training or programs designed to advance the capabilities of those already working in the industry, the Institute’s focus is on assisting the evolution of the industry through skills development. As our industry moves through a period of technological revolution, never has this development been more important – a well-trained workforce is critical. As well as delivering the programs that produce quality tradespeople, a crucial part of what MTA Queensland and MTA Institute does is to help nurture and develop those who have an interest in automotive but who have not had the opportunity to get a foothold in the industry. We have a successful and enviable record in this area and have established a number of focused programs over the years, including the Automotive Mentor Advisor Apprenticeship Program, the AccelR8 Program, the Auto Initiation program and our current CRASH program, amongst many others. At the beginning of this month, a new course called Employability Skills Training began delivering life, work and employability skills training to support those looking to work
November 2016 Motor Trader | 19
E S S E N T I A L S
MEMBERS MEMBERS
within the automotive industry and bring them to a point where they are job-ready and prepared to enter the automotive workforce. The Employability Skills Training program provides training that deals with employment skills and participation and job preparation as well as identifying and addressing barriers to employment. Conducted by a program manager with experience in supporting clients in both classroom situations and one-on-one in the workshop, the program will support participants in a number of ways: • A buddy system is used in the classroom for Language, Literacy & Numeracy, and mechanical aptitude support; • Varied assessment options tailored to the individual client’s requirements, for example, assessments during the mechanical training will be conducted verbally where clients have poor English or literacy skills; • Additional support for clients with specific disabilities (physical or intellectual); • Additional tutorials if required. Key objectives of the program are to provide job-ready participants through: • Upfront, realistic expectations, of work involved in the automotive industry; • Development of basic work, social and life skills; • Simulated automotive workplace training; • Industry awareness experience via employer site visits; • Overarching support to help gain and retain potential employment opportunities. The Employability Skills Training program is another example of the effort MTA Queensland and MTA Institute continues to put into finding, developing and training the right candidates who will help to drive the automotive industry forward. To find out more about the courses we deliver, go to mtai.edu.au
M E M B E R S
Training GM's Professional Circle perspective
E S S E N T I A L S M E M B E R S
MTAI TRAINER PROFILE
Professional Circle training
FIRST 'CRASH' TRAINING PROGRAM UNDERWAY T HE MTA QUEENSLAND’S Collision Repair Assistance to Support Hiring apprentices (CRASH) program has begun with the first intake of 15 students training under the guidance of MTA Institute trainers and Operations Manager Marcello Riotto. The program was created to impart the basic skills and knowledge required to work in the Collision Repair and Refinishing industry and was specifically designed for school leavers, job seekers, or those looking for a change in career. The 10-week CRASH program offers participants the opportunity to gain a Cert II in Automotive Body Repair Technology and includes modules on a wide variety of subjects that will prepare them for the workplace. The full-time program includes a first week that will focus on employability skills such as motivation, then a Cert II component lasting six weeks, then two weeks of additional training in areas such as defensive driving training,
WARREN ARCHER
MTA Institute trainers Alfio Rotolone (left) and Peter Ruhanen (above) teach CRASH students the basic of collisioin repair
First Aid training, and financial management training with MTAA Super. Participants also receive advice on creating a CV, interview techniques and personal presentation. The program concludes with two weeks’ work experience with an MTA Queensland member business, giving the students practical exposure to what is required to work in the Collision Repair and Refinishing industry. The current students have moved into the Cert II section of the course, receiving practical experience on collision repair and reconditioning fundamentals. “They have covered introductory aspects of the industry including
safety and environmental elements, and understanding the tools,” said Marcello. “They have been stripping and preparing panels for paint, completing dint repairs, have used spray guns and completed some priming. They are doing very well. “They range in age from 16 to 30 and a number of them are quite exceptional – exceptional enough that I wonder why they are actually unemployed! I have no doubt that there are quality apprentices within the group."
15 years in the workshop as apprentice, tradesman and foreman, followed by 18 years training apprentices at Tafe.
Passing on as much of the knowledge as possible that I have acquired over the years.
When did you become a trainer for MTA Institute? 2011.
What geographical area do you service? South and South-West.
What is the most satisfying aspect of your role as a trainer for MTA Institute?
Paint and Panel.
Watching the student finish their trade and staying in the industry then running into them years later when they are a foreman or shop owner.
What is your background in the automotive industry?
What do you believe is the most important aspect of training?
What is your specialised area?
20 | Motor Trader May 2017
The CRASH program runs until June 2. For more information on available courses and programs, go to www.mtai.edu.au
Why should someone consider a career in the automotive industry? The industry has so many pathways and opportunities if the effort is put in.
What is the best piece of advice you can give to an apprentice starting out in the industry? Work hard and listen to your tradesman, foreman and trainer. They have all been in your shoes.
When you’re not training, what do you like to do? 4x4 holidays and day trips with family and friends. Fishing and crabbing in north Queensland and riding motorbikes.
TA QUEENSLAND RECENTLY attended the Australian Aftermarket Expo in Melbourne, taking a booth at the event to highlight, at a national level, the work of, and the training opportunities available through, the Association. With a ‘build a better auto business’ theme, the Expo, which ran in parallel with the Collision Repair Expo, allowed for hundreds of companies, across 437 stands, to showcase thousands of products and services to the nearly 11,000 industry visitors, while seminars and workshops, ranging from ‘Leverage Digital Media for Retention and Sales’ to ‘Overcome the Technology Minefield to Make it a Profitable Business Tool’, gave attendees a guide to the current sector thinking and technology. The MTA Queensland was represented at the Expo by Area Manager Andrew Bear and MTA Institute Operations Manager Marcello Riotto and it was, said Marcello, an event with many positives. “We had a steady stream of traffic coming to see us at our stand,” he said. “We were able to meet with some of our national clients as well as many MTA Queensland members who had travelled down to Victoria to attend. “And our presence at the Expo was very well received with positive feedback about our approach and outlook. “Andrew and I attended a number of seminars and it reaffirmed to us that what the MTA Queensland is providing to our members in respect to services and training products is on-point and meeting industry needs. It also confirmed to us that both the courses and programs we have instituted in recent months are current and required by industry, and the Association’s forward-thinking support for members regarding
Left: Andrew Bear and Marcello Riotto represented MTA Queensland at the 2017 AAAA Aftermarket Expo
innovation and the industry’s future is something no one else is doing.” “It was great to meet members at the Expo,” added Andrew. “We were able to chat about any issues and remind everyone about what, as members, they have access to. We were also able to address any questions they had then and there, and I think they appreciated that. “We also had a few new member sign-ups and plenty of training enquiries. It was a very positive event.” AAAA Executive Director Stuart Charity praised the performance of the exhibitors as well the engagement
of the visitors. “There are about 25,000 workshops in the auto aftermarket across Australia. To attract visitors from around a third of these businesses to the Expos in Melbourne is a fantastic result,” he said. “The atmosphere throughout the exhibition halls was tremendous. A lot of business was done and even more business leads were generated. Given the challenges faced by the automotive industry, the Expos highlighted the positive vibe charging through the aftermarket.” May 2017 Motor Trader | 21
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MTAQ ATTENDS NATIONAL AFTERMARKET EXPO M
M E M B E R S
Member matters
LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY AFTER CYCLONE DEBBIE
M E M B E R S
E S S E N T I A L S
Members matters
Damage from the cyclone was severe, with boats blown ashore and roads and bridges washed away.
Credit: Mr Privacy /Shutterstock.com
Image courtesy of NASA
Cyclone Debbie smashed into Queensland at the end of March
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IND SPEEDS OF 270km/h, available a number of grants, loans record rainfall of more than and other assistance packages to 300mm in places, a dozen those affected. lives lost, severe flooding, roads cut, So severe was Cyclone Debbie that bridges washed away, roofs blown by the afternoon of the day it made off, doors and windows blown in, landfall, the Insurance Council of dams swollen to breaking point, Australia (ICA) declared a ‘catastrophe’ communities evacuated, power lost and CEO Rob Whelan said insurers to tens of thousands of homes and businesses, damage estimated to be I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN in the hundreds of millions, perhaps billions . . . Cyclone Debbie smashed WE WILL BE BACK TO into northern Queensland in March NORMAL . . . I THINK WE and caused extraordinary amounts of WILL BE SUFFERING UNTIL damage across the state. The damage, actual and THE END OF THE YEAR. expected, was enough that disaster relief funding was made through the jointly-funded CommonwealthState Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements Cyclone Debbie blew through Airlie Auto Recyclers, causing extensive damage (NDRAA), making
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22 | Motor Trader May 2017
were ready to assist policyholders who suffered financial losses. He added that insurers were anticipating thousands of claims. Two weeks later, on April 11, the ICA were reporting 41,105 claims had been made and losses were up to $660 million. Cyclone Debbie hit Queensland on March 28, making landfall between Bowen and Airlie Beach. For those living in the region, it was a terrifying day, the effects of which will last for many months. “I have no idea when we will be back to normal,” said Colin Thorburn, owner of Airlie Auto Recyclers in Cannonvale, just a few kilometres west of Airlie Beach. “I think we will be suffering until the end of the year. “We have a fairly compact, up-todate wrecking yard and the boys went out in the days before the cyclone hit and tied and roped everything we could. “Fortunately, we had almost no dislodgements or damage to the yard stock, which was a surprise – I was half-expecting to see at least one car parked up on a neighbour’s roof – but the weak link has been our roller doors. Even though we had vehicles parked up against them, all the doors have been blown either in or out and the full brunt of the more than 250km/h
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May 2017 Motor Trader | 23
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we haven’t seen anyone since.” To assist businesses with making claims, the ICA was set to hold insurance forums for claimants. The Queensland forums - which at the time of Motor Trader going to press were to be held in Mackay on May 1 and Proserpine on May 2 - were to be attended by the ICA, key insurance companies, Legal Aid and the Financial Ombudsman Service, and were due to cover key aspects of the recovery process, including claims management, rebuilding and dispute resolution. They would also enable policyholders to sit down with a representative from their insurer or a relevant expert to discuss any claims issues. As the recovery continues for automotive businesses across the state, so it does for other areas of the economy and, of course, the communities they serve – Cyclone Debbie was a terrifying experience for everyone. “There were a lot of people who feared for their lives,” said Ben. “And in Proserpine itself it was devastating. Probably 70 per cent of the businesses in the town’s main street are still not trading. Roofs are hanging off or not there at all, and for others there has just been so much water through the place that they can’t even turn the power on.” The effect on other areas of the economy is clear too with north Queensland’s tourism and cane farming industry under pressure. But, as has been the case in past disastrous events, community spirit has seen local people and businesses chip in to assist. Big business too has joined in. “Holden has been very helpful,” said Ben. “They sent up eight vehicles for us to lend out to anyone who had lost cars to the cyclone. That was great.” With generosity of time and spirit from all sides – the government, big business, the public, insurance firms it is to be hoped that communities and businesses can recover and get back to normal sooner rather than later.
M E M B E R S
wind blew through the inside of the taking particular care to safeguard the building for something like 20 hours. computers and other systems vital to It caused absolute havoc inside. the running of any business. “It will be hard to determine the “You can replace computers,” said actual damage to the stock inside. Ben. “But information can be hard to We will find out as we go along. The regather, so we took the opportunity to bag the electronics, plastic-wrap problem is that you can discover our mainframes and printers and do things are lost or damaged for weeks. our best to minimise the damage to “We have, of course, also lost part the future transacting of the business. of our customer base,” added Colin. “By saving that electronic “People have other things to think about rather than Crossley Holden was hit hard by Cyclone Debbie finding bits and pieces for their car. Some people have come in to buy headlights, windows and tail lights, so we have generated a bit of business, but it doesn’t offset what we have lost.” The storm damage is a similar story for Ben Hancock, Dealer Principal for Crossley Holden in Proserpine. “We had about four inches of water through the dealership and lots of non-structural building damage,” WHEN YOU ARE he said. “We have a few cars to write DEALING WITH WINDS off and something like $20,000 of APPROACHING 300KM/H electrical parts components that got wet. IT JUST COMES IN FROM “When you are dealing with winds EVERYWHERE. AS GOOD approaching 300km/h it just comes AS YOU THINK YOUR in from everywhere. As good as you think your buildings are it will find BUILDINGS ARE IT WILL holes you never knew you had. FIND HOLES YOU NEVER “I have been through cyclones before KNEW YOU HAD. but with this one it took a long time to pass – the eye of the storm was over equipment I was able to get our Proserpine for two hours – and it was second franchise up and trading about followed by severe thunderstorms and a week prior to the main Crossley rain as well. It literally went on for days. Holden business. However, that was “From a clean-up perspective, most all operating off generators as we were of the work has been done, although without power for a full two weeks.” it seems that every time you turn For both Ben and Colin, attention around you spot something else. It’s has turned to the hard work of a big job all around and it’s not just restoring normality to their businesses about picking up debris – there’s and navigating the seemingly tortuous also the amount of time that goes waters of insurance claims. in to preparing the paperwork, the “I am something of an amateur insurance claims, getting quotes and when it comes to dealing with then, of course, there’s moving to the insurance claims,” said Colin. “We had rebuilding stage. It feels like it could a brief encounter with an assessor be a six-month project.” within a few hours of us opening up As with Airlie Auto Recyclers, the after the cyclone and he made a very staff at Crossley Holden were able to quick assessment of the damage but prepare somewhat for the cyclone,
Motor Trades Association of Queensland
Election Notice
Motor Trades Association of Queensland Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009
Nominations are called for:
Election Notice Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009
Division Committee MembersNominations are called for: as follows: Automotive RemarketingMembersDivision (ARD) (5) Division Committee Engine Re-Conditioners Association of QLD (ERAQ) (5) Service Station and Convenience Store Association of QLD (SSCSAQ) (7) as follows: Rental VehicleRemarketing Industry Division (RVID) (5) (5) Automotive Division (ARD) Auto Parts Recyclers Division (APRD) (5) Engine Re-Conditioners Association of QLD (ERAQ) (5) Service Station and Convenience Store Association of QLD (SSCSAQ) (7) Far NorthVehicle District Representative Queensland (1) Rental Industry Division (RVID) (5) Auto Parts Recyclers Division (APRD) (5) Central District Representative Queensland (1) Far North District Representative Queensland (1) Central District Representative Queensland (1) Written Nominations which comply with the Organisations registered rules, may be made at any time from 12:00 midday Tuesday 2 May 2017. They must reach my office or postal address not later than 12:00 midday on Thursday 01 June 2017. Nominations may be withdrawn by written notification received the Returningwhich Officer not later pm on Monday 12 June 2017. WrittenbyNominations comply withthan the 5.00 Organisations registered rules, may be made at any time from 12:00 midday Tuesday 2 May 2017. They must reach my office or postal address not later than Nomination Forms are available or the registered office of withdrawn the Organisation. 12:00 midday on Thursday 01 from Juneme 2017. Nominations may be by written notification The use of these forms is not compulsory provided that nominations comply with the rules. received by the Returning Officer not later than 5.00 pm on Monday 12 June 2017. Note: Candidates mayare include with their form, a statement expressing their views, to be sent with the Nomination Forms available from nomination me or the registered office of the Organisation. ballot to eligible Candidate'sprovided statements be submitted by with 12:00 noon on 1 June 2017. Thematerial use of these formsvoters. is not compulsory thatmust nominations comply the rules. HOW TOnomination LODGE NOMINATIONS Note: Candidates may include with their form, a statement expressing their views, to be sent with the Byballot Hand: AEC, North Lakes Area Office, Level 1, 12 Endeavour Blvd, North Lakes QLD material to eligible voters. Candidate's statements must be submitted by 12:00 noon on 14509 June 2017. By Post: Australian Electoral Commission, PO Box 1205, North Lakes QLD 4509 By Fax: (07) 3049 2120 HOW TO LODGE NOMINATIONS ByBy Email: northlakesareaoffice@aec.gov.au Hand: AEC, North Lakes Area Office, Level 1, 12 Endeavour Blvd, North Lakes QLD 4509 By Post: Australian Electoral Commission, PO Box 1205, North Lakes QLD 4509 Ballot: If a ballot is necessary, voting material will be posted on Monday 26 June 2017, to eligible members By Fax: (07) 3049 2120 at By theEmail: address shown in the Organisation’s records. Any such ballot will close at 12:00 midday on northlakesareaoffice@aec.gov.au Monday 17 July 2017. Ballot: If a ballot is necessary, voting material will be posted on Monday 26 June 2017, to eligible members Changed Address? Advise theOrganisation’s Organisation now. at the address shown in the records. Any such ballot will close at 12:00 midday on Monday 17 July 2017. Note: A copy of the AEC’s election report can be obtained from the organisation or from me after the completion the election. ChangedofAddress? Advise the Organisation now. Note: A copy of the AEC’s election report can be obtained from the organisation or from me after the completion of the election. Tim Gordon Returning Officer Tim Gordon Returning Officer
Phone: 3049 2101 Phone: 3049 2101
NOMINATION FORM
Motor Trades Association of Queensland Motor Trades Association of Queensland NOTE:
1.
Nominations open at 12:00 noon on 1 May 2017 and must reach the Returning Officer at the office, postal address or by email, as shown below, not later than 12:00 noon on Thursday 1 June 2017. Nominations cannot be withdrawn after 5.00 pm on Monday 12 June 2017.
2.
To be eligible to be a Candidate you must have been a financial member for a period of thirty (30) days prior to 1 May 2017. Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 Prospective candidates and nominators should verify their financial status and any other qualifications required by the Organisation’s rules before lodging nominations.
3.
Election Notice
Nominations are called for: 4.
5.
Candidates must be nominated by a financial member of the division (for division positions) or regional member (for Regional positions) and candidates may self-nominate.
Division Committee Candidates may submit a statementMembersto be included with ballot material. Only statements which comply with the Organisation’s rules and are received by 12:00 noon on Thursday 1 June 2017 will be published.
as follows: I/we,Remarketing the undersigned financial member/s of the Automotive Division (ARD) (5)Motor Trades Association of Queensland, nominate: Engine Re-Conditioners Association of QLD (ERAQ) (5) CANDIDATE: Service Station and Convenience Store Association of QLD (SSCSAQ) (7) Full Name (block letters): Rental Vehicle Industry Division (RVID) (5) Auto Parts Recyclers Division (APRD) (5) For the Office of: Far North District Representative Queensland (1)
NOMINATORS: Full Name (block letters) Central
District Representative Queensland (1)Signature
Date /
/2017
/
/2017
Written Nominations which comply with the Organisations registered rules, may be made at any time from 12:00 midday Tuesday 2 May 2017. They must reach my office or postal address not later than CANDIDATE’S CONSENT: 01 June 2017. Nominations may be withdrawn by written notification 12:00 midday on Thursday (Print your name as you wish it I, receivedtoby theon Returning Officer not later than 5.00 pm on Monday 12 June 2017. appear the ballot paper) Consent to nomination for the above office for which I am eligible under the rules.
Nomination Forms are available from me or the registered office of the Organisation. The use of these forms is not compulsory provided that nominations comply with the rules. POSTAL ADDRESS:
Note: Candidates may include with their nomination form, a statement Postcode: expressing their views, to be sent with the ballot material to eligible voters. Candidate's statements must be submitted by 12:00 noon on 1 June 2017. Work :
TELEPHONE:
Home :
HOW TO LODGE NOMINATIONS Mobile : EMAIL By Hand: AEC, North Lakes Area Office, Level 1, 12 Endeavour Blvd, North Lakes QLD 4509 Email: By Post: Australian Electoral Commission, PO Box 1205, North Lakes QLD 4509 By Fax: (07) 3049 2120 Signed : ____/ ____/ 2017 SIGNATURE and DATE: By Email: northlakesareaoffice@aec.gov.au NOTE:
As a candidate you will be sent an acknowledgment by return mail or email.
Ballot: If a ballot is necessary, votingtomaterial will benomination posted isonreceived Monday 26Returning June 2017, eligible members It is your responsibility ensure that your by the Officer to BEFORE nominations close. at the address shown in the Organisation’s records. Any such ballot will close at 12:00 midday on If a ballot is required under Rule 13.8 the opening date for the ballot will be midday Monday 26 June 2017 and the Monday 17 July 2017. closing date will be midday Monday 17 July 2017
TheAdvise ballot willthe be decided by a first-past-the-post (simple majority) system of voting. Changed Address? Organisation now. Emails to the AEC email box that appear to be spam may be blocked. It is the responsibility of senders to ensure that their email reaches the AEC before the deadline for nominations. greater than 6 MB in size may accepted byfrom the AEC’s Note: A copy of theEmails AEC’s election report cannot bebeobtained thefirewall. organisation or from me after the
completion of the election.
OFFICE ADDRESS : AEC, Level 1, 12 Endeavour Blvd NORTH LAKES QLD 4509 Telephone: 07 3049 2101 Facsimile: 07 3049 2120 EMAIL: northlakesareaoffice@aec.gov.au
Tim Gordon Returning Officer
Phone: 3049 2101
POSTAL ADDRESS : Australian Electoral Commission Tim Gordon Returning Officer PO Box 1205 NORTH LAKES QLD 4509
Member profiles CLICK TO VISIT PARKER’S BODY SHOP WEBSITE
CLICK TO FOLLOW THE MTAQ RACING TEAM
WEBSITE
CLICK TO VISIT THE CJD MECHANICAL WEBSITE
CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO CLICK TO VISIT THE DORE’S GOODYEAR AUTOCARE WEBSITE
CLICK TO us greatly. Having It has benefited VISIT THE access to the OFT most up-to-date industry info andWEBSITE all of the other services MTAQ offers has been priceless.
What has been your proudest business achievement to date?
M E M B E R S
E S S E N T I A L S
CLICK TO GO DIRECT TO THE PAGE
Customer satisfaction.
What is the best thing about working in your industry? The variety – there’s something new every day.
What is the best piece of business advice you have ever given or been given? Bought cheap is half sold.
Dore's Goodyear Autocare Tully Location: Tully, Far North Queensland Type of business: Tyre Dealer and Mechanical Repairs Number of employees: 5 Trading since: 2014 MTAQ member since: 2014
What would you say to someone thinking about joining MTAQ? How did you hear about the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ)?
Being part of the peak body for the motor industry is a must – just do it.
From the previous owner who was an MTAQ member.
How has being an MTAQ member benefited your business?
The availability of industry information.
What has been your proudest business achievement to date? Working long-term in a very competitive industry and being a second-generation repairer.
What is the best thing about working in your industry? The diverse range of customers.
What is the best piece of business advice you have ever given or been given? A customer is the most important visitor on your premises.
Parkers Body Shop Location: Clontarf Type of business: Motor Body Repair Number of employees: 5 Trading since: 1985 MTAQ member since: 1985
26 | Motor Trader May 2017
What would you say to someone thinking about joining MTAQ? How did you hear about the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ)? We have had a long-term family association with MTAQ.
How has being an MTAQ member benefited your business?
Do it! It’s great value for money.
The MTAQ’s chosen firm MTAQ’s chosen firm for the automotive industry, for automotive industry providing complimentary complimentary legal legal advice
advice
Take advantage of our expertise and ask your Take advantage of our MTAQ representative expertise and ask MTAQ for a referral today. for a referral today.
Appointed by Motor Trades Association
Our team’s legal expertise includes:
Representing the legal interests of of Queensland in 2010, Bennett & Our team’s expertise • Motorlegal Trades licensingincludes: and regulatory compliance; licensing and regulatory compliance; Queensland’s automotive industry for Philp Lawyers is the MTAQ’s law firm • Motor • Trades Business structuring and succession planning; more than 15in years BennettMTAQ & Philp members • Business of choice providing structuring and succession planning; • Purchasing, selling or leasing commercial property; Lawyers are acknowledged as expertsadvice • Purchasing, with business and commercial selling oradvice; leasing commercial property; • Franchising inand a broad range of commercial legal assistance. Our issues expertise has • Franchising advice; • Raising finance and entering into security involving automotive industry. proventhe a vital resource for MTAQ, its • Raising finance and entering into security arrangements;
members and the automotive industry.
arrangements;
• We advise car and truck dealerships, • vehicle tuning and customisation We advise car and truck dealerships, companies, performance and accessory • vehicle tuning customisation manufacturers andand automotive industry • companies, performance and accessory suppliers. If its auto industry related, we • manufacturers and advice. automotive industry are the experts for legal •
suppliers. If its auto industry related,
Call onthe 07 3001 2999for legal advice. weus are experts
Call us on 07 3001 2999
Contractual advice including compliancecompliance with consumer laws; • Contractual advice including with Intellectual propertylaws; protection; consumer Employment law andproperty workplace relations; • Intellectual protection; Workplace health and law safety; • Employment and workplace relations; Insurance and publichealth liabilityand advice; • Workplace safety; Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, and advice; • Insurance and public liability
• Commercial litigation andbankruptcy debt recovery • Insolvency and advice, and
• Commercial litigation and debt recovery
Brian Smith I Director T: +61 7 3001 2914
Brian Smith I Director T: +61 7 3001 2914
Lachlan Thorburn I Associate T: +61 7 3001 2957
Lachlan Thorburn I Associate T: +61 7 3001 2957
Looking its members Bennett &after PhilpMTAQ Lawyersand Announced as MTAQ Major Racing Sponsor
Representing the legal interests of Our team’s legal expertise includes: MTAQ’s chosen firm • Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance; Queensland’s automotive industry for Proud tobybeMotor appointed as the law firm of choice in by2010, the Bennett Appointed Trades Association of Queensland As industry specialists we are ideally positioned to assist dealers and more than 15 years Bennett & Philp • Business structuring and succession planning; Motor Trades Association of fiQueensland (MTAQ) since 2010, for isautomotive industry & Philp Lawyers the MTAQ’s law rm of choice in providing MTAQ to suppliers with operational issues such as commercial leasing, supply Lawyers are acknowledged as experts • Purchasing, selling or leasing commercial property; Philp Lawyers very excited to announce our major agreements, employment its Bennett members&with business and is commercial advice and legal assistance. issues and franchise and consumer law. We in a broad range of commercial issues complimentary legalforRacing Franchisingto advice; Our expertise hasofproven a vital resource MTAQ, Team its members and sponsorship the MTA Queensland in 2017. have expert advice•available assist with dealership and business involving the automotive industry. • Raising finance entering into security arrangements; theWith automotive industry. acquisitions and sales, financing,and negotiations with lenders to the the advice team debuting in the CAMS Queensland Hyundai X3 Members’ Complimentary Advisory Service • Contractual adviceTelephone including compliance with consumer laws;
We adviseon carMay and truck automotive industry, and business succession and restructuring issues. Excel Racing Series at Morgan Park Raceway in Warwick 19 dealerships, Don’t quite know where youproperty standprotection; on a legal issue? - Your MTAQ Complimentary telephone advisory service • Intellectual vehicle tuning and customisation to 21, MTAQ’s race driver David Wood will be at the wheel of the Don’t quite know where you stand on a legal issue? -companies, Your MTAQ Membership entitles toour you team find out - before youconsiderable pay any legalknowledge fees. performance and Weaccessory take pride in knowing focus their • Employment law and workplace relations; Association’s Hyundai Excelour and chasing the team’s first win and Take advantage Membership entitles you to fiof nd out — before you pay any legal fees. Our initial legal isspecialist, free andandeasily – thecost-effective advantage for manufacturers and automotive and industry experience to deliver value-added •advice Workplace health safety;accessedand chequered expertise flag. askand MTAQ Our initial legal advice and is free easily accessed – the advantage for industry suppliers. If its auto related, we to Members is immediate andandprovides direct access to one ofofour legal services the• automotive industry. Take advantage oursenior Insurance public liability advice; for awith referral today. David lines up more than on access the starting withfor legal advice. Members is it provides immediate 20 andcars direct to senior lawyers are thegrid experts expertise today. law•team. automotive Insolvency and bankruptcy advice, and thecan knowledge that advice Bennett Philp are behind the team all who give the right at & the rightLawyers time – avoiding potential • Commercial and debt recovery Call us on 07 3001 2999 Ask the MTAQ for a referral litigation to Bennett & Philp Lawyers today, the way.Simply ask MTAQ for a referral to Bennett & Philp Lawyers. problems.
Automotive law expert and Commercial Director Brian Smith said: Automotive Dealers and Industry Suppliers “The popularity of the Series X3 was one of the key reasons behind Dealers and suppliers need to know their legal advisors can expertly Bennett & Philp’s decision to sponsor the MTAQ Racing Team.”
guide them through the sale and purchase of dealerships and related “The X3 Series provides an exciting series with competitors businesses throughout Australia. It’s alsorace important for dealers and vying to compete and meet the challenges of the tight turnaround suppliers to know their lawyers are experts in pursuing litigation for times,debts race and circuits and dates and set for race series,” added Mr Smith. unpaid other matters, alsothe counselling clients in areas such alternate dispute resolution processes. Asas motorsport enthusiasts, Bennett & Philp Lawyers launched its
automotive practice on the back of its appointment as MTAQ’s law firm of choice in providing MTAQ members with commercial legal advice.
because we specialise in automotive law. Brian Smith I Director T: +61 7 3001 2914
Lachlan Thorburn I Associate T: +61 7 3001 2957
For more information contact: Phone: 07 3001 2999
Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au For more information contact: Phone: 07 3001 2914 Website: www.bennettphilp.com.au
May 2017 Motor Trader | 27
MTAQ’s chosen firm
Representing the legal interests of Queensland’s automotive industry for
Our team’s legal expertise includes: • Motor Trades licensing and regulatory compliance;
2017 Annual Wage Review Decision
M E M B E R S
E S S E N T I A L S
Industrial relations
E PAUL MURRAY INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS OFFICER
CLICK TO VISIT MTAI.EDU.AU & LEARN MORE
CLICK TO VISIT MTAQ.COM.AU & LEARN MORE
CLICK TO FOLLOW THE MTAQ RACING TEAM
CLICK TO VISIT THE DORE’S GOODYEAR AUTOCARE WEBSITE
CLICK TO VISIT THE CJD MECHANICAL WEBSITE
CLICK TO VISIT THE OFT WEBSITE
VERY YEAR, BEGINNING in March and ending in June, the Fair Work Commission's Expert Panel conducts a review of minimum wages. At the end of that process the Commission issues a decision setting down the National Minimum Wage, and the minimum wages in Modern Awards and other instruments for the new financial year. This means members should be on the lookout for an email from MTA Queensland in early June with our updated Consolidated Award Wages Guide. The Guide will set out the new minimum CLICKfor TO both industry Awards. wages
VISIT THE MORGAN PARK RACEWAY HOW MUCH CAN WE EXPECT THE WEBSITE
MINIMUMS TO INCREASE BY AND WHEN WILL WE KNOW?
The Expert Panel will hold its final hearings on 17 May in Melbourne, &CLICK 18 MayTO in Sydney, with a decision WATCH expectedTHE in the last week of May or the firstVIDEO week of June. Any increase will take effect from the first pay period in July. Although in theory the National Minimum Wage and the minimums under the Modern Awards are determined separately, it is customary for both rates to increase by the same percentage amount. In determining the amount of the increase, the Expert Panel invites submissions from all interested parties and can conduct
“ . . . MEMBERS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AN EMAIL FROM MTA QUEENSLAND IN EARLY JUNE WITH OUR UPDATED CONSOLIDATED AWARD WAGES GUIDE. THE GUIDE WILL SET OUT THE NEW MINIMUM WAGES FOR BOTH INDUSTRY AWARDS.”
its own research and investigations. Factors influencing their decision include how the economy is performing, the living standards and needs of the low paid, and what the outcome might mean for jobs. Submissions from the Motor Trades Associations have argued for an increase of no more than 1.2%. The ACTU is asking for a flat $45 increase, which works out at between 5.7% and 6.7%. By way of comparison, the increase was 2.4% in 2016, 2.5% in 2015, 3% in 2014, and 2.6% in 2013. Members should look out for the email with our revised Consolidated Award Wages Guide, and of course if you have any questions about wages, then or in the meantime, call or email.
MTA QUEENSLAND WELCOMES THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS Business Name
Principal/s
Address
Division
EV North McDonald Smash Repairs Midas Service Centre Woolloongabba Rick's Wheel Alignment & Tyres Rockhampton Volkswagen SLS Mobile Service & Repair Wiltech Auomotive
Michael Lunn Joanne McDonald Steve Stanger Rick Secombe Tanleetha Walters Sandro Simioni Brad Williams
21 Echlin Street, WEST END Q 4810 115 Connaught Street, SANDGATE Q 4017 98 Logan Road, WOOLLOONGABBA Q 4102 254 Abbotsford Road, BOWEN HILLS Q 4006 112-118 Musgrave Street, BERSERKER Q 4701 6 Marisa Court, BLACK RIVER Q 4818 Shed 2, 74 Supply Road, BENTLEY PARK Q 4869
Michael@evnorth.com.au cfandmcdonald@bigpond.com Sales@woolloongabba.midas.com.au Rickswheelalign2Twestnet.com.au admin@rp1.com.au slsmobile@bigpond.com wiltech@internode.on.net
AED NACA AED TUDQ AADA AED AED
28 | Motor Trader May 2017
Investment matters
MARKET WRAP
G
LOBAL EQUITY RETURNS for the month of March were mixed. Europe performed well with betterthan-expected economic data, the US was flat, Japan’s Nikkei was down on the back of stronger currency and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was up as the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) suggested China’s economy continued to perform. Australia was the standout with the S&P/ ASX200 Accumulation Index closing up 3.32%, led by the banks. Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA), Australia and New Zealand Banking (ASX:ANZ) and Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC) returned more than 4% as the market welcomed the out-ofcycle rate rises. Utilities, Health Care and Consumer Staples were also strong sectors. This month, we discuss the implications of higher interest rates. Bond yields are up 80 basis points since the lows of mid-2016. Recent support for bonds suggests that the reflation trade might have run its course. However we believe this is a short-term bounce and that bond yields have bottomed. Bond rates in Australia and around the globe reached highs in the early 1980s (15% in Australia) before governments and central banks declared war on inflation. A series of supply-side driven economic policies including Reaganomics, Thatcher economic policies and the Hawke and Keating policies succeeded in driving down inflation and ultimately bond
“WITH INTEREST RATES
CLOSE TO LOWS AND ASSETS THAT BENEFIT FROM LOW INTEREST RATES HAVING ENJOYED STRONG INFLOWS, THE WORLD NOW APPEARS TO BE CHANGING.” rates and interest rates. In mid-2016, the Swiss government could have issued 50-year debt to 2076 at a negative yield of -0.035%! The level of pessimism regarding debt deflation and stagnation has eased significantly over the past year as the growth outlook has improved. In addition to the broad fall in interest rates since 1980, the GFC clearly added to the deflationary environment. Since the GFC, excess capacity has resulted in modest inflation globally with the US, Japan and Europe undertaking
quantitative easing to ease these pressures. With interest rates close to lows and assets that benefit from low interest rates having enjoyed strong inflows, the world now appears to be changing. We see the environment becoming more inflationary. In particular, we note that growth is accelerating, inflation in the US is picking up and the political environment is changing. Global growth expectations have picked up, with global growth now expected to be 3.8% this year. US unemployment claims are at a 45-year low, which supports the tightening environment. And anecdotally, we continue to hear of reports of accelerating inflation in US companies, which supports the view that we are through the worst of the stagnating environment. DISCLAIMER This document has been prepared by DNR Capital Pty Ltd, AFS Representative - 294844 of DNR AFSL Pty Ltd ABN 39 118 946 400, AFSL 301658. It is general information only and is not intended to be a recommendation to invest in any product or financial service mentioned above. Whilst DNR Capital has used its best endeavours to ensure the information within this document is accurate it cannot be relied upon in any way and recipients must make their own enquiries concerning the accuracy of the information within. The general information in this document has been prepared without reference to any recipients objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making any financial investment decisions we recommend recipients obtain legal and taxation advice appropriate to their particular needs. Investment in a DNR Capital managed account can only be made on completion of all the required documentation.
May 2017 Motor Trader | 29
Concept corner
Toyota FT-4X
TOYOTA’S CROSSOVER CONCEPT
T
HIS IS TOYOTA’S FT-4X – a 4WD concept revealed at last month’s New York auto show. A tough-looking beast, the FT-4X - or Future Toyota 4WD Crossover – has a host of clever features that should appeal to those with a taste for a bit of an adventure, including a GoPro camera built into the driver-side rear-view mirror which is designed to capture any off-road action. Inside, there are twin cargo boxes - one warm, the other cold; rear-door
30 | Motor Trader May 2017
armrests with USB outlets; removable inside lighting that doubles as a torch; a removable multimedia system that is part boom-box, part in-dash stereo; front and rear door handles that serve as water bottles and, instead of a traditional navigation screen, there’s a mobile-phone mount directly above the digital instrument cluster – an idea that recognises that smartphones are just as good as navigational devices as they are for listening to music and making calls.
The multi-hatch tailgate, which can open horizontally or vertically, is another ingenious touch. Toyota says the FT-4X could employ a small-displacement four-cylinder engine in combination with its mechanical 4WD, selectable low range, front MacPherson strut suspension and rear double wishbones. Whatever the company chooses to do, should the FT-4X make it to production, it sure looks like it would be a lot of fun.
CLICK T VISIT O MTAQ & LEA .COM.AU RN M ORE
CLICK VISIT TO SUPR THE AUTO EME MO WEBS TIVE’S ITE
CLICK VISIT TO TH OFT E WEBS ITE
CLICK VISIT TO KOMB THE I WEBS SHOP ITE
CLICK WATC TO H VIDEOTHE
May 2017 Motor Trader | 31
Industry insight
TIME MANAGEMENT – FIVE USEFUL TIPS T IME MANAGEMENT OFTEN crops up as an issue for business people. They say, “I just don’t have enough time to get everything done”. They complain of trying to do everything and getting staff to help. Good time management in theory is simple. It’s about having a clear understanding of what stuff needs to get done in a given time frame and prioritising objectives and actions. The best way to prioritise is to look at it from the perspective of the ‘Five Key Areas of Business’: 1. The products and/or services you sell 2. How you market and sell 3. How you operate and finance your business 4. How you manage staff 5. How you manage customer service Let’s discuss each and ways to be most effective.
THE PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES YOU SELL What is it that you offer to the market that solves a problem or creates a benefit? By having a clear understanding, you can then articulate it and document it, so others - e.g. staff - can understand. They can then provide input into how it can be delivered effectively and improved. • Getting knowledge out of your head and into a documented system saves time. • You don’t have to repeat things – you can point to the system for guidance. • A system has the benefit of increasing business value, as everything isn’t in your head.
HOW YOU MARKET AND SELL Once you have a clear picture of how it benefits customers, you need to articulate the benefit and create interest. The key issue here is what is the best means of reaching your market i.e. ask yourself “Where do my 32 | Motor Trader May 2017
customers hang out?” For example, the aged market is reading newspapers, whereas the youth market spends most of their time online, so you need to market appropriately to each. There are systems available for handling marketing automation of your digital marketing and getting messages out via social media and driving traffic to your website. Once you’ve got interest from a customer you need them to buy. Some sales are immediate e.g. retail, whilst some take longer e.g. a service or project. Consider what’s involved in the process and document it, so others can perform some or all of it. There are cost-effective systems to help you systemize the process and improve sales conversion rates.
HOW YOU OPERATE AND FINANCE YOUR BUSINESS Once you’ve made a sale, how are you going to deliver to your customer? A documented system helps you and your staff get it right consistently. This saves time and money, avoiding rework and returned goods. A system creates efficiencies in the time taken to get jobs done, allowing more work to be done and better profit and staff satisfaction. Systems are available – in the cloud – that provide a framework for systemising operations in many different industries. Financing business is one of the biggest areas of stress. Cash flow is often a ‘pain point’. Having a thought-out finance plan is critical. Some key numbers to manage are: • The direct cost of your product or service
i.e. what it costs to get it ready for sale • The right price to charge to be profitable, whilst remaining competitive • Price increase or decrease – keeping your price right to maintain a profit and understanding the impact of discounting on profit. • Overheads e.g. rent, wages, IT costs, etc. • Number of days customers take to pay • Number of days to pay suppliers • Number of days stock sits on the shelf pre-sale • Number of days jobs/projects are in progress pre-invoicing
HOW YOU MANAGE STAFF A system to proactively manage staff saves stress. Many businesses struggle to attract the right staff. You have to be an ‘employer of choice’. You need to project a professional image and hire, manage and fire people properly. It starts with job descriptions, so everyone knows what’s expected. Proactive HR management helps to improve staff motivation. There are HR management systems available that guide you through the process and to be compliant. This helps to avoid unhappy staff and unfair dismissal claims.
HOW YOU MANAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE Last but not least are your customers. You need to look after them well, so they will not only come back and buy, but refer you to others. This is more critical than ever due to internetbased feedback via sites such as TripAdvisor. You need a system for looking after customers’ experience to ensure it is consistently good. This saves time and money dealing with complaints and customers who refuse to pay – plus marketing required to get more new customers to replace the unhappy ones. For more information, go to businessnumbersmadeeasy.com
PROUD QLD / NORTHERN NSW DISTRIBUTORS OF
Brisbane
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87 Old Toombul Rd Northgate QLD 4013 Ph: 07 3552 2800 Fax: 07 3256 8798
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58 Hoopers Road Kunda Park QLD 4556 Ph: 07 5445 6337 Fax: 07 3256 8798
298 Alexandra Street Kawana 4701 Ph: 07 4927 1251 Fax: 07 4927 1296
Unit 4d, 7-9 Gardner Court Wilsonton QLD 4350 Ph: 07 4634 9238 Fax: 07 4634 5895
6/7 Snow Street Lismore NSW 2480 Ph: 02 6621 5131 Fax: 02 6622 8574
Craig Lowndes, TeamVortex
The # 1 choice of TeamVortex and 40,000 other businesses Make it Yours
08/16
1300 362 415 mtaasuper.com.au
This document is issued by Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited (ABN 14 008 650 628, AFSL 238 718) of Level 3, 39 Brisbane Avenue Barton ACT 2600, Trustee of the MTAA Superannuation Fund (ABN 74 559 365 913). Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty. Limited has ownership interests in Industry Super Holdings Pty Ltd and Members Equity Bank Limited. The information provided is of a general nature and does not take into account your specific needs or personal situation. You should assess your financial position and personal objectives before making any decision based on this information. We also recommend that you seek advice from a licensed financial adviser. The MTAA Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), an important document containing all the information you need to make a decision about MTAA Super, can be obtained by calling MTAA Super on 1300 362 415 or visiting mtaasuper.com.au/handbooks. You should consider the PDS in making a decision.