I’ve been bit apprehensive as we prepared for our first Cars and Coffee event set for the last Sunday of every month and trying to imagine the scene in our car park. I didn’t have to worry as it went well, despite the drizzle. Our parking spaces were full, and with the helpful aid of neighbouring car parks there was plenty of room. There was an abundance of rare, classic, vintage, historic and race vehicles proudly on display accompanied by equally proud owners.

It was very successful and, I’m happy to report, so was the sausage sizzle, which was manned by volunteers and from which the funds raised will go to our charity partner Youngcare. As I gazed out towards the many enthusiasts and their families admiring the vehicles, I secretly wished that our industry meetings could attract similar attention. Sigh! We’ll keep trying.

Briefings

One of the outcomes of elections is that portfolios and departments are reshuffled. With that comes the need to seek out where the various responsibilities for the automotive sector lie and rebuild contacts.  Much of my time recently has been devoted to that and putting the credentials of the MTA Queensland on the table.

I was appreciative of a luncheon invitation from the SAS Group Managing Director Peter Constanti. This enabled discussion on training and small business issues and the opportunity to speak directly with the new Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development, the Hon Shannon Fentiman.

As our registered training organisation is a key element of the MTA Group’s activities, I was keen to raise training issues with the Minister as there is a tendency for the state government to overlook the delivery of skills training through private providers in favour of public institutions. This is unfortunate as private providers such as the MTA Institute are the largest providers of skills training for the trades.  Additionally, I expressed the view that the over regulation of the vocational educational and training industry was stifling productivity and delaying the emergence of new workforce skills.

A key issue stressed to the Minister (and included in our recent pre-state budget 2018-19 priorities submission to the Queensland Treasury) was the need for a state-based auto skills training advisory entity. Its purpose would be to advise the national industry committee on the state’s auto training demands and the investment requirements for passenger vehicles, trucks, buses and heavy machinery. As a member of the national entity, I know first-hand that a state advisory body would be an asset ensuring that the state’s training requirements are met.

I also briefed the Shadow Minister for Employment and Small Business, Training and Skills Development and the Member for the regional electorate of Maroochydore Fiona Simpson on the issues above and the Association’s policies and priorities that are important to her constituents.

Business Meetings

With stakeholders from other industry sectors, I participated in an Advancing Small Business Queensland roundtable at which the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell AO spoke. She addressed the issues and priorities which her office handled. One matter was the unfair contract terms (UCT) report following a review by ASBFEO and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

The recently released report found the major banks had failed to take the necessary steps to comply with their obligations under the UCT legislation. Following the review, these lending institutions committed to a series of changes. This included ensuring small business loans of up to $3 million entered into renewed from 12 November 2016 would be protected from unfair contract terms. Small business loan contracts are complex, with many pages of legalistic language. It is to the advantage of small business to have a friend such as the ASBFEO which will continue to apply pressure on Australia’s financial institutions to ensure they meet the unfair contract terms legislation.

At the roundtable, I raised the matter of government engagement with industry and business. It’s our estimate that no more than 10 per cent of all small business enterprises are aware of government’s legislative, regulatory and program agenda or changes for their sector. This means that there is a communication’s gap between business, industry and government. It is a difficult issue to address as the view of business is that it is overwhelmed by data from many sources which ultimately becomes spam. The obvious answer is for government to engage and communicate directly with business and industry on issues that matter rather than polemics.

Brisbane Marketing (a Brisbane City Council wholly-owned subsidiary) invited MTA Queensland to a digital skills workshop. The focus was to understand the talent requirements needed by local businesses to develop and implement digital technologies. I was pleased to participate and contribute to the discussion. In terms of our industry, we have insight of enabling digital technologies, such as cloud platforms, data analytics, artificial intelligence, digital ledger and the Internet of Things and their impacts on re-shaping the global economy and transforming almost every industry.

As members know, we’ve considered and done much work on these technologies through our Carmageddon symposiums, the MTAiQ (the newly established innovation hub) and of course will continue to do so at the forthcoming  16 -18 May Myriad Festival.

The challenge of future talent requirements is only one aspect of the digital workforce that we must confront. A recent automation report claimed a third of Australian jobs could be completely replaced by 2030 – potentially leaving a chunk of the population unemployed. It is a duty to upskill the workforce so that they are not left behind in the digitisation and technological rush. And we are. MTA Queensland is a provider for the federal government’s Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprenticeships program for 2018 and 2019 to increase apprentice retention rates especially in industries undergoing structural change.

Queensland Industry Training Awards

In my role as the MTA Queensland’s Group CEO, I’ve been asked to contribute and participate as a judge of the 2018 Industry Training Awards by the Queensland Department of Employment, Small Business and Training’s office of the Deputy Director-General Training and Skills. I am pleased to do so as my service with MTA Queensland contributes to my overall industry, vocational education and training expertise and experience required to form the judging panel.

There are 11 categories with nominations per category drawn from across the state. Initially, the judging is online, followed by telephone interviews. The winners will be announced on 8 September 2018 at the Queensland Training Awards State Final Dinner to be held at the Royal International Convention Centre Bowen Hills.

And the last thing

With the Department of Main Roads, I’m collaborating on an exciting new initiative with beneficial value for our MTA Institute trainers and ultimately our learners. It’s still in the planning phase but the ultimate goal is for a senior trainer to gain experience internationally on emerging automotive technologies including automated vehicles.

May is going to be a busy month. I suggest to members that they enter into their schedules: the 2018-19 Federal budget handed down on Tuesday 8 May; the Myriad Festival (which incorporates the Carmageddon initiative) from 16-18 May; and small business week commences Monday May 28 and goes through to Friday 1 June 2018. Each of these hold interest
for members.

Apart from these preoccupations, my focus will include membership growth, expanding the Association’s commercial interests, and interacting with stakeholders to enhance the standing of the Association.

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’.