As a registered employer’s association, a priority is to ensure that MTA Queensland operates as a business with efficient practices and systems with high standards of accountability and transparency.

Coinciding with the reporting obligations for the Annual General Meeting is the auditing of the financial records by the independent auditor BDO. Chief Financial Officer Kathy Winkcup has the responsibility for the preparation of the financial statements and the operating report. The independent auditor’s opinion was that the financial report fairly presented the Association’s fiscal position.

For the 2017-18 financial year it is pleasing to see a healthy surplus, which will be further supplemented by increased business activity and revenues in the coming year. The independent auditor commended the accounting team on the sound accounting practices and systems evidenced in statements and reports which reflects well on the governance standards that apply across the MTA Queensland business.

Scrutiny of processes, systems and records are not confined to MTA Queensland’s accounts and finances. The MTA Institute’s (MTAI) training regime too will be subjected to appraisal by an Independent Review Panel. As a member of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) we are invited to participate in the Industry Certification Program (the program), a 360⁰ peer review process. Participation in the program means the MTAI will be one of first private training organisations with a quality training accreditation that is recognised for its student-centric educational quality, ethical practices, continuous improvement culture and professional student services that exceeds regulatory outcomes and measures.

Challenges and Opportunities
The combination of positive finances and approved governance standards and training qualities engenders confidence to undertake activities that will grow the business in the best interests of the membership. This can be illustrated by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT) reaching out to MTA Queensland for its contribution as an industry expert and mentor for the launch of the University’s first short course on autonomous vehicles to on-line students.

Interestingly, it was our presence in the social media space, event involvement such as industry keynote addresses, and innovation activities that drew RMIT’s attention to MTA Queensland.
The role of the industry expert would be filming live webinars with industry leaders used in the delivery of the course with the focus on its practical application, including work-ready skills development. The industry mentor will be assigned to 20-30 online students, supporting their learning via video conference for some six hours a week.

The RMIT and the MTA Queensland have agreed to work together to ensure students have an industry integrated learning experience to help them to develop the skills and capability for the world of work. Our contribution will be industry expertise, insights, brand and credibility as an innovative enterprise in Australia. The agreement will expire in May 2020.

The MTA Queensland’s innovation hub is being recognised by corporate entities and universities for its entrepreneurial approach to start-ups. In the coming days, collaboration will commence with Telstra’s Emerging Technology Strategy personnel and with the University of Queensland’s (UQ) Idea Hub Director Nimrod Klayman. The Idea Hub is a practical, hands-on program that provides aspiring student entrepreneurs, both university and secondary school students, with the skills and knowledge needed to conceive a startup. We were recommended to the Idea Hub by the Queensland Innovation Department’s Executive Director for Innovations Program due to our leadership in automated vehicle and emerging technologies. The aim is to collaborate with UQ Idea Hub from an industry perspective and to encourage future industry leaders to interact with MTAiQ entrepreneurs.

Meetings
ACPET invited me to a policy discussion lunch with the Minister for Finance Senator Mathias Cormann. I provided an overview of the issues impacting the motor trades and stressed the need for policy certainty into the future for small and medium businesses. The Federal Opposition’s policy intentions for the sector were being announced, but the government’s policy positions were unclear and needed to be stated.

Later this month, I will attend a policy discussion dinner with the Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education Michaela Cash. I’m keen to participate in the conversation, particularly on vocational education as it needs solid policy focus to remedy the skills deficit experienced by industry and to engender enthusiasm in the trades amongst the nation’s youth. I will also table the points in the supplementary submission referring to the top ten issues impacting business for the inquiry into impediments to business investment as forwarded to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics. At the dinner I’ll elaborate on these including the need to review unfair dismissal regulations which have been a long-term frustration for members.

It is my practice to attend the Australian Automotive Dealer Association Convention (AADA) where a wide range of issues are on the agenda for discussion. It is an opportunity to engage with a wide cross section of stakeholders involved in the transformations occurring in the sector. The convention attracts high-calibre speakers including the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack, and the Shadow Assistant Treasurer Dr Andrew Leigh. Minister McCormack addressed the infrastructure projects underway whilst Dr Leigh announced that a Labor Government would implement an industry specific code to address the power imbalance between franchised new car dealers and vehicle manufacturers.

AADA welcomed this commitment for the Automotive Code of Conduct which is its policy position. I must tell members, that the AADA’s Chairman Terry Keating at such forums acknowledges the contribution of MTA Queensland in the establishment of that Association.

Members will recall that we made a submission to the Senate Select Committee on Electric Vehicles.

Following the submission, I gave evidence at a hearing in Brisbane on the 27th September. In my opening statement to the Committee, I said that ‘opportunities would arise through electric vehicles and other emerging technologies that will present economic, environmental and social benefits that go beyond what we currently consider possible. These will include alternate power generation source, battery manufacturing, battery recycling, car and parts recycling, car manufacturing and the use of 3D printing in ways only limited by our imagination. If we move quickly, Australia could be a global manufacturing force. This will depend on business and consumers having the confidence in the economy to either invest or purchase.’

Industry
In last month’s From the Desk of the CEO, I referred to Block2 – technology which is a sharing platform that enables business to create resilience, particularly in modern operating environments. In the coming month, the Block2 technology will present the technology platform to the Executive Committee. I’ll keep the membership appraised of developments.

And the last thing
Over the coming month, I’ll continue to focus on the challenges and opportunities that need attention and to represent the Association at various stakeholder meetings and events. The Executive Team is going through a busy period and I thank them for finalising their annual reports which will assist with meeting printing timeframes and having the information available to members as soon as possible.

On reflection of their reports it would be amiss of me not to acknowledge their significant contributions over the past 12 months which collectively have impacted the positive position of the Association.

Until next month, 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’.