Oz Auto Makers, Service Providers to Meet on Vehicle-Repair Issues

It’s being called one of the most significant gatherings of automotive-sector representatives the Australian industry has ever seen: A 1-day conference to discuss access to technical, diagnostic, service and repair information.

The issue has divided the industry, and its importance is such that federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer David Bradbury says the government will delay a major inquiry on the subject until speakers at the conference have had their say.

The Victoria Automotive Chamber of Commerce says all sectors of the Australian auto industry seldom gather to discuss a single topic, but that was before “access to technical information” threatened to drive a wedge between some of them.

The meeting, organized by VACC, is scheduled for Sept. 6 during the Freight Week conference in Melbourne.

“It is not unusual for individual automotive sectors to meet in large numbers, but this will be the first time representatives from manufacturers, importers, dealers, service and repairs, insurers, associations, parts retailers, governments and others have come together under one roof,” VACC Executive Director David Purchase says in a statement.

The conference will focus on the issue of access to technical, diagnostic, service and repair information, he says, “because if we do not do so now, it could have serious consequences for motorists and business owners in the future.

“We are not expecting the conference to yield a common consensus on the day, but it will provide a unique opportunity for all sectors to have their say and to hear the views of others.”