Motor Trader e-magazine, February 2026

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MTA QUEENSLAND

INDUSTRY MEETINGS

MTA QUEENSLAND hosts quarterly industry meetings for:

› AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOTIVE DEALER ASSOCIATION (NEW CAR DEALERS)

› AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS DIVISION (MECHANICAL REPAIRERS)

› AUTOMOTIVE PARTS RECYCLERS DIVISION (PARTS RECYCLERS)

› USED CAR DIVISION (USED CAR DEALERS)

› ENGINE RECONDITIONERS ASSOCIATION OF QUEENSLAND (ENGINE RECONDITIONERS)

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

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

› QUEENSLAND MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY DIVISION (MOTORCYCLES)

› RENTAL VEHICLE INDUSTRY DIVISION (RENTAL VEHICLES)

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

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

The Agenda topics include:

› robust discussions around the priorities of the Division,

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

› skilling needs,

› membership representation,

› technical and educational updates, and

› innovation opportunities.

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

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P.O. Box 4530, Eight Mile Plains, Qld 4113

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Email: publications@mtaq.com.au Website: www.mtaq.com.au

EDITOR

Jonathan Nash

ART DIRECTOR

Marco Ilinic

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Evangeline Kannis

POLICY

Kellie Dewar, Deputy CEO MTA Queensland

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Email: jonathann@mtaq.com.au

EDITORIAL

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

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MOTOR TRADER PUBLISHING POLICY

Motor Trader is the official publication of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland. The role of Motor Trader is to inform members of current issues and legislation affecting the industry. As such it can be regarded as the business magazine for the Queensland motor industry. The role of Motor Trader is not to be in competition with the technical magazines already on the market. It will advise of new vehicles being released and of the latest technology incorporated into them; it will advise of latest technology affecting members in each of the MTA Queensland Divisions; it will keep members abreast of the latest in motor industry training and industrial affairs; and it will keep members informed of the latest technical aids available through MTA Queensland Member Services, which will assist members in staying ahead of the technological revolution presently being encountered within the motor industry. The publisher reserves the right to omit or alter any advertisement and the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher for all damages or liabilities arising from the published material.

MTA QUEENSLAND ABN: 74 028 933 848

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From the Editor

JONATHAN NASH EDITOR

HELLO AND WELCOME

to the February 2026 edition of Motor Trader.

It is a bit of a bumper edition this month - a reflection of the work that MTA Queensland has been doing through the end of 2025 and into 2026.

Included amongst our stories is coverage of the MTA Institute partnering with Fresh Start Academy in Cairns. Through this partnership, MTA Institute is helping to deliver Cert I and II automotive programs to atrisk young people and opening doors for students who might otherwise never have considered a career in our trade. You can read more from Page 74.

Training is also the focus of our story about the MTA Institute working with Mahindra Automotive Australia to deliver targeted training to dealership

salespeople. The training, delivered over a couple of days at the RACQ Mobility Centre, focused on the recently released MY26 Scorpio 4X4, which now has Level 2 ADAS. You can read more about that from Page 82.

Still on the training theme is our story with Wade Burgess, the 2025 MTA Queensland Apprentice of the Year, who recently returned from an unforgettable week with Penrite Racing in Melbourne. Spending time with Penrite Racing's expert team of techs was part of the prize for winning the award and the experience is about as inspirational as it gets. You can read more from Page 70.

Also in this edition is our latest Auto Women: Behind the Wheel profile, featuring Jasmine DeWys, founder of Bodyshop Solutions, plus our regular Member Q&A feature, newvehicle news and more.

I hope you enjoy this edition, and if you have some news you would like to share, get in touch and let me know.

Cheers

Jonathan Nash, Editor jonathann@mtaq.com.au

Search for MTA Queensland

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR SHIFTS INTO TOP GEAR AT PENRITE RACING

MTA Q&A: DEAN’S SERVICE CENTRE

MTAQ PARTNERS WITH MAHINDRA ON NATIONAL TRAINING

From the Desk of Management

ROD CAMM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

TRAINING HAS ALWAYS been one of the pillars of MTA Queensland’s work, and it remains an area where we continue to deliver real, practical value for members and for the broader automotive industry.

That capability was clearly demonstrated earlier this month through our growing relationship with Mahindra Automotive Australia. We delivered tailored training to Mahindra dealership salespeople focusing on the recently launched MY26 Scorpio 4WD, a vehicle equipped with Level 2 ADAS technology. As vehicles become more advanced, it is essential that sales teams understand what these systems do, and how to explain their benefits confidently to customers. The two-day course was a success and reinforced what we already know - that MTA Queensland and the MTA Institute have the expertise to work with OEMs to deliver meaningful, outcomes-focused training.

More broadly, the range of training available we offer reflects the diversity of today’s auto industry. From salesfocused programs to highly technical courses for workshop staff, we deliver training across the breadth of industry requirements, including in areas such as ADAS, EV systems, and emerging technologies. We offer hands-on short courses for techs looking to upskill, as well as online microcredentials that allow busy techs to learn at their own pace. Alongside these sit our nationally recognised qualifications, apprenticeships and specialist programs, supporting careers from entry level through to advanced roles.

Delivering training to the auto industry is work we have been doing for decades, and we are really good at it!

Importantly, training is also about securing the industry’s future, and applications are now open for the VET Trainer Scholarship, which supports experienced industry professionals who want to step into training and mentoring roles. Strong trainers are essential to a strong industry, and this initiative is an investment in the next generation.

Finally, earlier this month I attended the NADA Show in the U.S. as part of the AADA study tour. I look forward to sharing key insights and takeaways from that experience in the March edition of Motor Trader and across our other channels.

KELLIE DEWAR DEPUTY CEO | GENERAL MANAGER MEMBER SERVICES

ADVOCACY SITS AT the heart of what we do at MTA Queensland, and it is something of which I am incredibly proud. Every submission we make and every position we take is driven by one aim: ensuring our members and our industry are heard on the issues that matter most to them.

In recent months, that advocacy has been reflected in submissions on matters including skilled migration and end-of-life tyres. The skilled migration submission reflected what members tell us every day – that access to appropriately trained people is critical. Likewise, the tyre inquiry gives our industry the opportunity to address jssues from recycling to illegal dumping to retreading. These are complex issues, and it is critical for us to be involved in the development of solutions that benefit everyone.

Of course, our advocacy work does not happen in isolation. We take up challenges on behalf of industry, but we can only know what those challenges are by talking to our members. Meeting and talking with members face to face is something I value enormously, and I have enjoyed the privilege of doing just that in recent weeks as I’ve had the opportunity leave the office and head out across the state to listen to their concerns, hear what’s working and what’s not, and learn where MTA Queensland should be aiming its resources. These conversations are invaluable, and I’m pleased to say there are many more member visits scheduled in the coming weeks.

Alongside advocacy and engagement, we remain focused on delivering practical value. Members continue to benefit from a growing suite of exclusive offers - from savings at Officeworks and Bunnings; to energy, banking, insurance and legal servicesall designed to make running a business that little bit easier.

Finally, I am very much looking forward to one of the highlights on our calendar - the upcoming Auto Women dinner in Brisbane. These events bring together women from across the automotive industry to network, share experiences and support one another and we are especially pleased to welcome Romy Mayer, Supercars’ first female Race Engineer, as our special guest. Romy will share her insights on leadership, teamwork and high-performance environments, and it promises to be a standout evening! Tickets are on sale now and you can claim yours by clicking HERE.

Payday Super changes ahead

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MTA |Q&A

Set in the heart of the Atherton Tablelands, Malanda is a town where reputation matters and relationships last decades. Dean’s Service Centre is a reflection of that environment - steady, honest, and deeply connected to its community. With a mix of light vehicle servicing, diagnostics, wheel alignments, and mower repairs and sales, the business has evolved alongside the industry while staying true to old-school values that locals trust. Motor Trader caught up with owner Dean Hapgood to learn about the secret to his success.

DEAN’S SERVICE CENTRE HAS A STRONG LOCAL REPUTATION. WHAT’S THE CORE FOCUS OF THE BUSINESS?

DH: Dean’s Service Centre is a practical, community-first workshop that understands regional driving conditions:

constant stop-start through town, wet season potholes, long-distance highway runs, farm roads, and the kind of wear-andtear that city service intervals don’t always account for. The workshop’s value isn’t just

in spanners and scan tools, it’s in clarity. Customers want to know what’s urgent, what can wait, what it will cost, and why. Dean’s Service Centre has built its name on delivering those honest answers without jargon or pressure, backed by workmanship that speaks for itself.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR HISTORY IN THE TRADE AND HOW DEAN’S SERVICE CENTRE CAME TO BE.

DH: When I was in school, across the road at Malanda High School, I would work here every day after school and every weekend for the owner Danny West. In Year 10, Danny offered me an apprenticeship, but the timing wasn’t right and I couldn’t take it immediately. My grades in math and science were straight

A’s and Danny encouraged me to see out Year 12 as I was doing so well. My high school teachers pleaded for me to go to university, but I had my heart set on being

a mechanic. The week after I left school in 1992, I began my apprenticeship under Danny.

In 2000 I bought the business from Danny having completed my trade and worked for him consistently for 8 years. The business was located in the industrial area on the edge of town but in 2003 I moved it back to the current location to take advantage of the traffic to and from the High School across the road. The change was too much though and I closed the doors to take a break and go to the FIFO lifestyle working for Caterpillar.

Laurie Howland owned the business in the workshop servicing and repairing mowers, cars and small engines like chainsaws. In 2009 Laurie asked me to return as a contractor to manage the automotive mechanical work in his workshop. In 2021 Hannes bought the business from Laurie and I moved my contractor business to my home shed with a hoist where I continued helping almost 250 of my local customers.

In 2024, Hannes rang me to see if I would like to buy the business back from him. I jumped at the chance, and it felt like coming home. We put the team back together with many of our staff from the early 2000’s coming back to join us.

WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST LESSONS LEARNED ALONG THE WAY?

DH: The biggest lesson for me has been to work with people you both respect and genuinely like. Laurie, who used to own the business and gave me a chance as a contractor to come home and leave the FIFO life, still works with me here today and he teaches me a lot.

WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

DH: I arrive at 6am every day. Al gets in about 6:30 to help put the mowers out on display and set up the workshop. The staff start arriving from 7:30am. I spend

“. . . THE NUMBER ONE TRAIT I LOOK FOR IN A TEAM MEMBER IS HONESTY. IF THEY ARE HONEST THEN WE CAN ALWAYS WORK TO TRAIN THEM AND IMPROVE..”

the day serving customers, selling mowers and equipment, mentoring apprentices and problem-solving issues. I really wish I had time to get on the tools and be hands on, but I just don’t. Most nights I stay back until 6:30pm or 7pm to finish paperwork. They are long days, but I don’t work Saturdays and Sundays and I love the opportunity to lead this team.

WHO IS IN YOUR TEAM?

DH: I am really proud of our team that we have built. Laurie still comes in one day per week to help out. He is very useful in the workshop but also a great mentor for everyone in our crew. Al has been here working on Greenfield mowers and equipment for a long time and that will be a huge loss of knowledge when he retires. His wife Melissa has been running our office for a long time and now she is training Jo to take over when she and Al retire.

Alex is being trained to take over from Al when he retires.

As Melissa is training up Jo, Al is training up Alex who is an independent contractor taking over the mower repairs. Our other contractor is Stan who manages the mechanical workshop for vehicles. We have three apprentices on the team all trained through MTA Queensland. Keanu, a final-year apprentice, is due to graduate soon, Trent is a mature-aged apprentice in his second year, and Billy is also a secondyear apprentice. Our final team member is Crofty who does our deliveries.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE APPRENTICES AND TRAINING TO YOUR BUSINESS?

DH: I like to train my own apprentices to have them trained my way. Ant is the MTA Queensland trainer who looks after our apprentices, and he is always impressed by the range of work my apprentices have access to learn on. Anytime staff want to learn a new skill, I support them to do the course and find the training they need.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR BUSINESS?

DH: Finding the right people for our team. While it is important that they work well with the rest of our team and they are skilled, the number one trait I look for in a team member is honesty. If they are honest then we can always work to train them and improve.

HOW IMPORTANT IS COMMUNITY CONNECTION FOR AN INDEPENDENT WORKSHOP IN MALANDA?

DH: Community connection is everything. Our customers aren’t anonymous. You’ll see them at the shops, the school pick-up, the footy. We’re part of the local economy and

“THE INDUSTRY IS CHANGING FAST, VEHICLE TECH, CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS, THE PACE OF LIFE. BUT THE FUNDAMENTALS DON’T CHANGE QUALITY WORK, HONEST COMMUNICATION, AND TREATING PEOPLE WELL.”

we take that seriously. Supporting local families and businesses isn’t just “nice”, it’s how a town stays strong. I was a coach and the secretary of my local Junior League for four years. We look after the local Men’s Shed and Lions Club. Every year we sponsor student bursaries at my old school. When you do right by people, they do right by you.

At first glance Malanda is a large town. It has a large population to draw on both in town and in surrounding areas. In fact, despite it having a large population, it is still a small town with a small-town mentality. Our customers promote us through word of mouth and they are loyal. Phi has just turned 100 years old and has

been a customer here since I began my trade. My high school math teacher who pleaded for me to go to university still brings his car here.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR DEAN’S SERVICE CENTRE?

DH: Last year was a great year for the business. My plan is to keep having years like that. We will continue investing back into stock and equipment. We will keep improving systems, keep investing in tools and training, and keep delivering a service that locals can rely on. The industry is changing fast, vehicle tech, customer expectations, the pace of life. But the fundamentals don’t change quality work, honest communication, and treating people well.

Malanda is the kind of town where reputations are built the old-fashioned way: one customer at a time, one job done properly, and one straight conversation in the driveway before the keys change hands. That’s exactly the lane Dean’s Service Centre has chosen, and it’s why locals keep coming back.

MTA Queensland made sure that automotive workshops remain the only place EVs can be serviced and repaired.

Following a review of the Electrical Safety Act, which recommended that only licensed electrical workers service EVs, MTAQ successfully protected the industry’s right to service and repair these vehicles.

Our new EV Ready program is your industry-backed, no-nonsense way to get informed, equipped, and connected — without the noise.

Stand out as a qualified and EV-safe service provider

Demonstrate your commitment to safety, professionalism, and innovation

Future-proof your business

READY TO PLUG IN?

HIGH VOLTAGE, HIGH STANDARDS: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE EV READY?

ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) are rapidly becoming a fixture on Queensland roads, with more than 58,000 EVs registered as of March 2025 - a number that continues to grow each year. As the market shifts, workshops must be equipped to safely and professionally work on these vehicles.

In 2023, the Queensland Government released a Review into the Electrical Safety Act 2002, which included a recommendation that the servicing and repairs of EVs be carried out by licensed electrical workers.

MTA Queensland successfully protected the industry’s right to service and repair these vehicles by demonstrating that automotive businesses already have the capability –including a sufficiently trained workforce, as well as the tools, equipment and electrical safe work procedures - to undertake EV servicing and repairs in a safe and compliant manner.

As a result, the Government has not pursued the recommendation and supports an industry-led compliance framework - a significant outcome for automotive workshops.

AS EV ADOPTION ACCELERATES, WORKSHOPS MUST NOT ONLY KEEP PACE BUT LEAD THE WAY IN SAFETY, EXPERTISE, AND INNOVATION.

INTRODUCING EV READY

In response, MTA Queensland has established EV Ready - a program designed to set a minimum standard for automotive businesses that service and repair electric vehicles. It aims to ensure the automotive industry continues to demonstrate to the Queensland Government that it is the most capable and appropriate sector to perform this work.

EV Ready recognises automotive businesses that are:

• Properly equipped to handle EVs,

• Formally trained to depower and reinitialise EVs,

• Committed to industry best practice.

Businesses that become EV Ready will be acknowledged as safe and trusted providers for EV servicing and repairs.

Participants will receive an official EV Ready sign to display in their workshop, along with digital assets to help promote their accreditation and build trust with customers.

WHY JOIN EV READY?

As EV adoption accelerates, workshops must not only keep pace but lead the way in safety, expertise, and innovation. By joining EV Ready, you will:

• Stand out as a qualified and EV-safe service provider.

• Future-proof your business as the EV market grows.

• Demonstrate your commitment to safety, professionalism, and innovation.

Joining EV Ready is more than just an accreditation - it’s a strategic investment in your business’s long-term success in an evolving automotive landscape.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

To become EV Ready accredited, businesses must demonstrate they are appropriately trained, equipped, and operating in line with national safety standards for EV servicing.

This includes having at least one technician who has completed nationally accredited training for the depowering and reinitialising of EVs, or access to a qualified provider, along with meeting appropriate Australian Standards, workplace health and safety requirements, having the correct tools and PPE, and maintaining an EV-appropriate workshop environment.

Accreditation is valid for three years and includes an assessment process to confirm compliance. Ongoing accreditation requires businesses to maintain these standards and participate in periodic reviews if requested.

The initial accreditation fee is $280 (+GST) for MTA Queensland members and $675 (+GST) for non-members, with a re-accreditation fee of $90.

HOW TO GET STARTED?

Getting EV Ready is simple. Businesses interested in becoming accredited can begin by completing a short Expression of Interest form.

Once submitted, MTA Queensland will be in touch to guide you through the next steps — including the assessment process, documentation requirements, and any support needed to help your business meet the EV Ready standard.

An extraordinary wave of talented women is making impactful contributions across all levels of the automotive industry —from visionary executives and entrepreneurs leading global brands, to industrious and dynamic owners of businesses across all industry sectors, to apprentices and skilled technicians reshaping workshops from the ground up.

The Behind the Wheel: Celebrating Women in Auto project is dedicated to celebrating the stories and journeys of these remarkable women, putting the spotlight on their achievements, resilience, and innovation, providing a platform that highlights their diverse roles, and encouraging a new generation of women to pursue careers in this dynamic industry.

ON PAPER, COLLISION repair is simply about restoring a vehicle to pre-accident condition and ensuring a smooth, painless experience for the customer. And, for that customer, that is how it must seem as their four-wheel pride and joy, injured from some on-road bingle, disappears into a workshop and reappears a few days later, magically transformed to be as good as new.

Behind the scenes, the graft that goes into ensuring the pleasant outcome for the customer can be a hard slog, and it’s not necessarily the awkward crumpled bumper or crunched quarter panel that make a repair job painful. Rather, it’s the invisible administrative work of estimating - of line items, of bouncing between software systems, of getting to grips with repair methods - that can make the job a frustration. And somewhere between the moment a damaged car rolls in and the

moment it rolls out, a business either gets paid for what it genuinely did, or it has quietly donated time, materials and skill to get things done.

Jasmine DeWys has built a career around smoothing out these behind-the-scenes frustrations and making sure the dollars don’t slip through repairers’ fingers. She’s worked across the collision repair industry landscape, has experience across every sector, developed her knowledge and skills across a multitude of roles, and now runs her own Australia-wide remote estimating, consultancy and training business -

“BODYSHOP SOLUTIONS IS A VIRTUAL ESTIMATION AND TRAINING BUSINESS, AND WE HAVE A FEW CORE SERVICES WE OFFER TO THE COLLISION INDUSTRY.”

Jasmine DeWys has built a successful career in the collision repair industry - working through roles from managing workshops to software sales and training - and now offers a range of services through her own business, Bodyshop Solutions.

Bodyshop Solutions - aimed squarely at helping businesses become smoothrunning, efficient, successful enterprises.

Her business exists because collision repair has become a complex web of moving parts with an estimator, and the process of estimation, sitting at the centre of it.

“Bodyshop Solutions is a virtual estimation and training business, and we have a few core services we offer to the collision industry,” explains Jasmine.

“Virtual estimation is one of them, estimation training is another, and we also specialise in estimation analysis - we basically look at the systems and give some feedback on that process. But the core of what we really do is teach everyday businesses and estimators how to master the estimation process so that they minimise waste in their business. We help everyday repairers to achieve those goals.”

It’s the kind of pitch that speaks directly

to the reality of workshops in 2026: capacity constraints, skills shortages, increasingly technical vehicles, and estimating systems that can seem dauntingly complex.

To the layman, the work of an estimator sounds complicated – and they’d be right in thinking that. As Jasmine explains, the reality most repairers live with is a loop of platforms, integrations, logins, downloads, exports, and moreall before a single repairer has even touched a tool.

“An estimator looks at the damage on a vehicle and writes an estimate on how to pull it apart, repair it, paint it, the parts list, how to put it all back together – all to basically restore the vehicle back to OEM specs,” she says. “Just to write a quote involves massive workflow . . . and it's really easy, if you're not trained properly, to make a mistake.”

This is where Bodyshop Solutions comes in – offering assistance, including through training, to help collision repairers navigate the complexity and trim the fat, reduce mistakes, and reduce stress. And that training option for estimators has the

backing of MTA Queensland, which has partnered with Jasmine and Bodyshop Solutions to offer it as one of its many auto industry training options.

“We are currently partnering with MTA Queensland to deliver this specialised training around mastering the estimation process to minimise waste,” explains Jasmine. “Basically, we're teaching repairers and estimators how to navigate these complex systems in an easy-to-digest training environment.”

FROM FIRST STEPS TO A CLEAR VISION

The road to establishing Bodyshop Solutions has been a winding one, but Jasmine describes the origin of her automotive career in a way that will be familiar to anyone who grew uparound cars: they weren’t just an interest; they were a passion shared amongst the family.

“I come from an automotive family - I would probably be comfortable to put it

“WE ARE CURRENTLY PARTNERING WITH MTA QUEENSLAND TO DELIVER THIS SPECIALISED TRAINING AROUND

MASTERING THE ESTIMATION PROCESS TO MINIMISE WASTE.”

that way,” she explains with a smile.

“My dad's a mechanic, my brother's a mechanic, my sister's a truck driver, and my granddad was a mechanic as well. We were a car family . . .”

Given that family background, a career somewhere in the automotive industry was probably a likely outcome, although the collision repair sector was not one that she pursued initially.

“I kind of fell into the job, to be honest,” she says. “It wasn't something I sought out and said, ‘I definitely want to do specifically that’.”

Her first years were in a panel shop in Toowoomba and Jasmine describes those years as being a massive learning curve, filled with plenty of action and plenty of mistakes.

“. . . I'm pretty sure I was terrible to begin with,” she says with a laugh. “But I had a really good boss who taught me a lot. He took me under his wing, taught me how to quote, and I did a lot of different roles and was very hands on. I did that for probably about five years or so and really learned the ropes . . .”

That country-shop experience became Jasmine’s launchpad and, at the age of just 23, she moved to work in workshop management – a shift that delivered another steep learning curve, and which also exposed her to the software side of the sector.

“I wanted to try my hand at something more and, at the time, the owner of the shop I was managing also owned a software company. I naturally progressed over into that space,” she says.

Jasmine’s career became something of a hybrid at this point, seeing her move between the workshop and the office of software company PartsCheck, delivering workshop fixes, management resets, tech support, sales, and training. It’s a combination of experiences and skills that is rare and gave her the foundation upon which she would one day build Bodyshop Solutions.

“For many years . . . I was living two lives really and I'd have like this hybrid role where I would go into the panel shop and fill in or,

if I had a manager leave, reset the shop, put a new manager in and train them, and then come back and do my other job in the software space. I had this really interesting dynamic where I was floating between both areas . . . I did that for many years - selling software, doing tech support and managing an actual workshop. It was an interesting journey, and it set me up for where I am today.”

CREATING A SOLUTION FOR EVERYDAY REPAIRERS

The decision to strike out on her own and establish Bodyshop Solutions did not come to Jasmine in a grand entrepreneurial moment. Rather, it came gradually after recognising the same problems were appearing time and again, everywhere. Businesses were asking how one software system talked and worked with another, and estimators were trying to do the right thing while drowning in workflow.

She could solve these problems - and she did – but realised that there was a deeper need: the collision sector required someone who could not only come in and fix the problem but offer a proper process of learning that would enable them to tackle the issues themselves.

“I'd help out and give tips and so on . . .” says Jasmine. “And to be able to help people in that way and solve the problem for them then and there was really valuable.

“I noticed it was continuously happening and the idea began to develop early on that it would be amazing to be able to do that for a living . . .”

However, it wasn’t easy to leave a job

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she enjoyed, and which had enabled her to earn a reputation as someone who understood the collision repair industry from the inside out. And so the idea remained just that - an idea - as she built up the confidence to strike out on her own.

“It was terrifying, and I reckon I sat on it for about two years,” she says of the period when she was torn about taking the leap. “I had an amazing job. I was going to Malaysia, doing custom integrations, and leading a massive team of people. I was cruising along at the top of my game . . . And so I sat on things for a good while. I would go to do it but would get scared and come back!”

Eventually, however, Jasmine did pull the pin and take a punt that her idea would prove successful.

And so it proved right from the start. People trusted her judgement, valued her practical insight, and knew she delivered on what she promised. And that credibility became the launchpad for Bodyshop Solutions.

SETTING REPAIRERS UP FOR SUCCESS

If there’s one tip that Jasmine can give to any collision repairer, it is the importance of setting the job up correctly from the very beginning.

“It sounds really simple . . . but if you can master that front process – the handling of the customer, processing the claim, writing the estimate . . . that does make the rest of the process a lot easier,” she says.

Discipline early reduces problems later and helping businesses achieve this is at the core of the Bodyshop Solutions’ mission.

Starting such a business designed to deliver this support comes at an interesting time for the industry. There

“IT SOUNDS REALLY SIMPLE . . . BUT IF YOU CAN MASTER THAT FRONT PROCESS – THE HANDLING OF THE CUSTOMER, PROCESSING THE CLAIM, WRITING THE ESTIMATE . . . THAT DOES MAKE THE REST OF THE PROCESS A LOT EASIER.”

is the ongoing debate around the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct, as well as the impact (excuse the pun) that technological advances - such as electrification and the installation of ADAS hardware such as lidars, radars and high-definition cameras – are making to the new vehicles now rolling out on our roads.

All these developments make the estimation and repair job more complicated, and demand that collision repair businesses work even harder to make the processes they use more efficient.

It’s where the estimation training offered by Bodyshop Solutions slots right in, and Jasmine is proud of the impact it is making, adding that it is the first of its kind in the market and that there is more to come.

“It's probably my greatest achievement so far,” she says. “I get feedback from everyday repairers that are grateful that there's someone out there delivering this sort of training . . .

“We're out here training people how to use the software properly and how to quote properly, with training backed by MTA Queensland. We’re also working with the software companies to ensure our training is in line with current industry standards and best-practice system workflows. It’s a huge accomplishment for me.”

FORGING A PATH IN THE INDUSTRY

As with many sectors of the automotive industry, the collision sector is maledominated, and Jasmine acknowledges that. She explains that her experience, particularly early on, made that fact less of an issue for her, and if there were times when she encountered some form of discrimination, it made little impact.

“I was probably 17 when I entered the industry,” she explains. “I had moved out of home at 14 and I was looking after both my brothers. With that kind of experience and what was going on at that time in my life, if there was any of that sort of thing happening to me, I probably didn't notice . . . I was just so determined to make something of myself, support my family and get ahead in life that I probably didn't care if they looked at me sideways to be honest!

“If you've got the drive and you've got the determination to really make something of yourself, and you're really passionate about what you do, that sort of thing might not matter so much. It definitely didn't matter to me . . .”

While the personal circumstances at the start of Jasmine’s career are more unusual than most, she has some sage advice that anyone looking to get a start in the industry can take on board, and that is to learn from someone who has been there and done that.

“A tip I would give to someone just starting out would be to try and find someone in the workshop who has been in the trade for 20 to 30 years . . . try and find someone who has that level of experience and hang around them because they will teach you so much . . .”

It’s a reminder that the industry is full of very knowledgeable techs, and that while technology, techniques and procedures may change, there are tips, tricks, skills and experiences that can be passed along down each generation of technician that will always be vital.

A TRUE CAR ENTHUSIAST

Jasmine has carved out a successful career in the collision repair industry, and there is a reason – beyond her business IQ and smarts – that she has been able to do that: she loves what she does and the

sector in which she works, and she is a true car enthusiast.

Underneath the businessowner exterior, there’s still a genuine car person who treats cars as something a bit special.

“That's what got me started in the industry . . .” she says with a smile as she discusses her love of cars. “And I'm very much into my early Commodores - I have two VHs and a VL Commodore!

“I remember my first one, taking it off the back of the tow truck at the panel shop, and an experienced, older panel beater said to me, ‘What in the hell is that? Why would you buy a crusty old Commodore!? What are you doing!?’

“But I just thought it was so cool!”

And when asked about what her dream car might be – her ‘if-money-were-no-object’ vehicle – Jasmine’s answer gives away both

her affection for cars and shows that her passion for the automotive world isn’t limited to one segment or style; she simply loves them all.

“It would be either in the form of an older Commodore, like an SL/E – proper stealth wealth where I'm rolling around in something cool, and where no one would know I had trillions of dollars - or a Bugatti, because I saw it on Top Gear one time and I thought it was pretty sick!”

Jasmine’s appreciation for all things automotive is clear when she talks about the cars she would love to own and is equally obvious in the way she approaches the collision repair industry. Through Bodyshop Solutions, she has built a business grounded in a genuine desire to see repairers succeed – to help them refine their processes, reduce waste and lift standards across the sector.

CLICK TO VISIT THE BODYSHOP SOLUTIONS WEBSITE

She combines a unique skill set with broad experience, deep industry knowledge and a forward-thinking mindset to achieve a simple mission: to support everyday repairers, strengthen the industry as a whole, and ensure collision repair businesses are equipped not just to survive, but to thrive.

MTA QUEENSLAND CONTINUES TO BE A STRONG VOICE FOR INDUSTRY

ADVOCACY HAS LONG been a cornerstone of MTA Queensland’s work, and in recent months that role has been more important than ever. As the automotive industry navigates skills shortages and rapid technological change, having a strong, informed voice representing the interests of businesses on the ground is critical.

At both a state and national level, MTA Queensland works on behalf of its members by engaging directly with government, regulators and policymakers, and it has done so successfully over the years. This work is not undertaken in isolation. The Association works closely with other statebased MTAs and the national body, the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA), to ensure industry concerns are consistently and clearly represented across all levels of government.

Two recent advocacy priorities highlight the breadth and importance of this work. The first is engagement with the Inquiry into the Value of Skilled Migration to Australia. Skills shortages remain one of the most significant challenges facing automotive businesses, particularly as vehicles become more complex and demand for qualified technicians continues to grow. Through submissions and consultation, MTA Queensland has emphasised the real-world impact of workforce shortages on workshops, dealerships and consumers, making it clear that access to appropriately skilled workers is essential to business sustainability, productivity and safety.

AT BOTH A STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL, MTA QUEENSLAND CONTINUES TO WORK ON BEHALF OF ITS MEMBERS BY ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH GOVERNMENT, REGULATORS AND POLICYMAKERS . . .

The Association has also contributed to the Inquiry into the current state of the Australian tyre industry. Tyres are a critical safety component, yet the sector faces complex issues including end-of-life tyre management, recycling capacity, and illegal dumping. MTA Queensland’s involvement ensures the perspectives of legitimate automotive businesses are considered as policymakers explore solutions that balance environmental responsibility with practical industry needs.

“Advocacy is at the heart of what MTA Queensland does for its members,” said Kellie Dewar, Deputy Group CEO. “Our role is to ensure policymakers understand how decisions made in Canberra or Brisbane affect businesses at the workshop and dealership level.

“Many of the challenges facing our members are national

in nature,” she added. “By working closely with other MTAs and teaming up with MTAA, we can present a united position that carries real weight with government and regulators.”

Importantly, MTA Queensland’s advocacy is informed by direct engagement with members across the state. Ongoing conversations with business owners and others help shape submissions, policy positions and discussions with government, ensuring advocacy efforts are grounded in practical experience.

As the automotive industry continues to evolve, MTA Queensland remains committed to representing its members’ interests, influencing policy in a balanced and practical way, and working collaboratively at both state and national levels to support a strong and sustainable automotive sector.

QUEENSLAND MECHANICS CLAIM REPCO SUPERCAR MUSTANG WIN

AFTER 35 YEARS of servicing everyday cars across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, MTA Queensland member business Auto Stop Mechanical Repairs has added something a little bit out of the ordinary to its fleet.

In January, co-owners Michael Daly and Rodney Man took delivery of a modified Ford Mustang that had, until the end of the 2025 season, been used by Repco at every round of the Supercars Championship as a promotional car – one built to give guests a taste of what it feels like to ride in a properly beefy race car.

The road-legal Mustang looks (and most definitely sounds!) like it belongs on a racetrack, but it will now settle into a different kind of promotional working life - as a slightly slower moving (road rules apply, you understand) billboard for Auto Stop and Repco.

Auto Stop is a member of the Repco Authorised Service (RAS) network, which includes more than 500 independent workshops nationwide, and it is through RAS that Michael and Rodney were able

to get their hands on the beast of a Mustang.

Toward the end of 2025, RAS put the Mustang up as a prize in a competition open to its members - a competition designed to reward performance, engagement and sales targets. It proved to be one of the RAS network’s most successful promotions, with Auto Stop pipping others to the chequered flag to score the coveted car.

For a motorsport enthusiast like Michael, the chance to win the Mustang was truly appealing but, as with many competitions, the time between the competition’s launch and the announcement of the winner was long enough that life, and business, got in the way and the thought of winning became a little distant.

By the time the draw came around in midJanuary, he had almost forgotten that the Mustang was in play, and initially assumed

“IT'S GOT A ROLL CAGE; IT'S A TWOSEATER; AND IT'S GOT THE EXHAUST, THE TUNE, AND THE SUSPENSION AS WELL AS RACE WHEELS AND RACE TYRES ON IT. IT’S NOT EXACTLY A RACE CAR BUT IT’S NOT JUST A NORMAL MUSTANG!”

something was wrong when he saw he had missed calls from Peter Rogers, National Manager of Repco Authorised Service.

“I thought I was in trouble for something,” said Michael with a chuckle.

A mate then reminded him of the imminent announcement of the Mustang winner - a reminder that would make his subsequent call with Peter less worrisome.

“I just said, ‘You're not ringing to tell me I won the Mustang, are you?’” said Michael of the following call. “And Peter just replied, ‘I am actually.’”

Michael added that his reaction was instant and a bit emotional.

“I was tearing up to be honest and started shaking!”

The car itself is pretty special, and

Michael said there was plenty going on with it besides a potent engine and some smart, motorsport-inspired livery.

“It’s a 2020 5-litre V8 Mustang with some goodies on it,” he said. “It's got a roll cage; it's a two-seater; and it's got the exhaust, the tune, and the suspension as well as race wheels and race tyres on it. It’s not exactly a race car but it’s not a normal Mustang!”

The modifications, carried out by performance specialists Herrod Performance and promotional company ShowTime, highlight a design brief which surely requested that the final car should feel every bit like it belonged on the track. The sound it makes, for example, is unmistakeable and epically loud.

“I actually spoke to Herrod Performance . . . and they said they left the resonators out because they wanted it loud so people at the track got the full experience,” said Michael. “They wanted it to feel like and drive like a race car.”

The result is a machine that makes eyes widen and jaws drop wherever it goes.

“We got it last week and I haven't got out of it very much at all!” said Michael. “. . . It definitely turns a lot of heads . . .”

Winning the Mustang marks a special

moment not only for Michael and Rodney, but for the Auto Stop business, which hit the 35-year milestone in 2025. It’s a business journey that finds its origin in a partnership between Michael and Rodney built over decades - and generations.

It was back in 1976 that Rodney began his mechanical apprenticeship as a teenager at a Brisbane service station that was owned by Michael’s grandfather and father. Fast forward to 1983 and Michael joined the business as an apprentice working under Rodney. Fast forward again to 1990 and the duo joined forces to buy a mechanical workshop – called Auto Stop –and stepped out on their own.

Today, the business boasts 12 staff across two sites – one in the Brisbane suburb of Salisbury, and another at Arundel on the Gold Coast.

It’s a success story built around two owners who have spent decades building a reputation through hard work, loyalty and customer trust, and taking delivery of the Mustang - as coincidental as that might be - seems like a fitting way to mark 35 years in business and a special apprenticeshipto-ownership story.

The Mustang will have a working life promoting that story - keeping its motorsport-inspired, graphic-heavy exterior

TODAY, THE BUSINESS

BOASTS

12 STAFF ACROSS TWO SITES – ONE IN THE BRISBANE SUBURB OF SALISBURY, AND ANOTHER AT ARUNDEL ON THE GOLD COAST.

to be a showpiece for Auto Stop and the RAS network. However, while it might not be a plaything for its new owners, Michael does let slip that it may still find its way, from time to time, back onto a racetrack.

“I’ll be making some adjustments to it,” he said of modifications he will make over time. “The tyres for a start, because they are race tyres and quite expensive! I've found a set of wheels and tyres that I'll put on and I’ll save the others for a track day.”

A track day? Why not. The Mustang was built to give drivers and passengers the racetrack experience. It would be a shame not to give it a blast every now and again.

TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING DRIVING THE FUTURE AT THE 2026 AUTO AFTERMARKET EXPO

TECHNOLOGY, TRAINING, INNOVATION, and practical solutions will take centre stage at the 2026 Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo, held 14–16 May at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Co-located with the Collision Repair Expo and proudly sponsored by Repco, this premier biennial event brings the industry together to explore the trends, tools, and training shaping the future of vehicle repair, with over 13,000 visitors and 400 leading brands expected.

Training is a vital cornerstone of the event, featuring exclusive training programs led by world-class international and Australian trainers. There is a dedicated Technical Training Program for technicians and specialised Business Management Training for business owners. Enhancing this educational focus is a separate, paid, in-depth training program held the day before the Expo officially opens, providing an immersive head-start on advanced diagnostics.

As vehicles evolve rapidly through increasing system complexity, the Expo also provides workshops with direct access to the products and expertise needed to keep pace.

From advanced diagnostics and ADAS calibration equipment to the latest workshop software and specialty tools, the event showcases real-world solutions designed to enhance efficiency and productivity in the modern workshop.

The spectacular Expo floor will host live demonstrations and hands-on experiences, offering a unique national platform to network with suppliers, peers, and industry leaders. AAAA Chief Executive Officer Stuart Charity believes the event plays a critical role in supporting the trade through a period of rapid transformation.

“The Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo brings the industry together to understand what’s coming and access the tools, training, and expertise needed to remain future-ready,” said Mr. Charity.

Registration is free, making the 2026 Expo an essential destination for anyone working in the aftermarket industry and looking to secure their future in a changing landscape.

For more information and to register for FREE, head to www.autoaftermarketexpo.com.au.

KIA LAUNCHES EV4 SEDAN IN AUSTRALIA WITH 612KM DRIVING RANGE

KIA AUSTRALIA HAS expanded its electric vehicle portfolio with the arrival of the all-new EV4 sedan, now on sale nationwide.

Joining the brand’s growing EV family alongside the EV3, EV5, EV6 and EV9, the EV4 brings a choice of standard or long-range battery options. Pricing starts from $49,990 RRP for the EV4 Air Standard Range, rising to $59,190 for the Earth Long Range and topping out at $64,690 for the flagship GT-Line Long Range.

Based on Kia’s E-GMP electric platform, the EV4 entry-level Air grade is fitted with a 58.3kWh lithium-ion NCM battery, delivering a WLTP-rated driving range of 456km. Earth and GT-Line variants step up to an 81.4kWh battery, extending range to 612km WLTP, the longest of any Kia electric vehicle to date.

Included here is Kia’s latest i-Pedal 3.0 adjustable regenerative braking system and Smart Regenerative Braking, allowing one-pedal driving with customisable energy recovery and automatic adjustment based on traffic conditions.

DESIGN IS A STANDOUT, WITH THE EV4 THE MOST AERODYNAMIC KIA MODEL.

Design is a standout, with the EV4 the most aerodynamic Kia model. There are vertical lighting signatures front and rear, while GT-Line variants add Star Map LED lighting, 19-inch alloy wheels and distinctive gloss black detailing.

Inside, the EV4 features a minimalist cabin centred around an Integrated Panoramic Display combining twin 12.3inch screens with a 5-inch climate interface. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range, along with Kia Connect app functionality and overthe-air software updates.

All models feature Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, enabling the EV4 to power external devices, while the flatfloor E-GMP architecture allows for plenty of interior space.

Power comes from a front-mounted 150kW/283Nm electric motor across all variants. The EV4 Air accelerates from

charging allows a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in as little as 29 minutes for Standard Range models and 31 minutes for Long Range versions using a 350kW charger.

Safety is comprehensive, with Highway Driving Assist 2, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist 2, seven airbags and a suite of driver monitoring technologies fitted as standard.

“EV4 represents yet another significant evolution of Kia’s EV strategy, blending capability and outright efficiency with affordability in a model that complements our broad line-up of electric vehicles,” said Damien Meredith, Kia Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, in a media release.

“With electrified vehicles challenging petrol for outright sales in Australia, Kia is proud to offer such a diverse line-up to that caters to the full spectrum of electrification, while maintaining very strong offerings for customers suited to conventional fuel types.”

SUBARU CONFIRMS ALL-NEW ELECTRIC TRAILSEEKER FOR AUSTRALIA

SUBARU AUSTRALIA HAS confirmed the all-new, all-electric Trailseeker will arrive in Australia in the second quarter of 2026.

The Trailseeker follows the recent launch of the refreshed 2026 Solterra and expands Subaru’s electric SUV line-up. The company says the Trailseeker will be the fastestaccelerating production Subaru ever built, producing a combined 280kW and sprinting from 0–100km/h in approximately 4.4 seconds. Despite its performance credentials, Subaru says Trailseeker has been engineered to retain genuine all-road capability, with 211mm of ground clearance, a low centre of gravity and standard dual-motor Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.

“IT SHOWS THAT ELECTRIC PERFORMANCE DOESN’T HAVE TO COME AT THE EXPENSE OF CONFIDENCE, CONTROL OR REAL-WORLD CAPABILITY... ”

Underpinning the new model is Subaru’s next-generation e-Subaru Global Platform, designed to support higher outputs, extended driving range and enhanced all-wheel drive performance. Power comes from a 74.7kWh CATL battery, delivering a claimed driving range of up to 533km. Trailseeker supports 150kW DC fast-charging, allowing a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in around 30 minutes, while 22kW three-phase AC charging and 1500W vehicle-to-load capability add everyday usability. A 1,500kg braked towing capacity further reinforces its practical credentials.

Subaru Australia General ManagerScott

Lawrence said Trailseeker brings personality and excitement to the brand’s EV range.

“Trailseeker is the EV with personality,” he said in a media release. “ . . . It shows that electric performance doesn’t have to come at the expense of confidence, control or real-world capability – the qualities our customers expect from a Subaru.”

Trailseeker will sit alongside Subaru’s Australian line-up that included the nextgen hybrid Forester, updated Solterra, and the new Outback and Wilderness models. Further specs, pricing and timing details will be announced closer to launch.

NOW AVAILABLE

ALL-NEW HYUNDAI ELEXIO EV CONFIRMED FOR Q1 LOCAL LAUNCH

HYUNDAI AUSTRALIA HAS announced a significant expansion of its electric vehicle lineup with confirmation that the all-new Elexio medium electric SUV will arrive locally in Q1 2026, positioned between the KONA Electric and IONIQ 5.

The Elexio will launch in Australia in a single Elite trim grade, priced at $59,990 drive-away.

Powering the Elexio Elite is a 160kW, 310Nm front-mounted electric motor paired with an 88kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, delivering a claimed 546km WLTP driving range.

POWERING THE ELEXIO ELITE IS A 160KW, 310NM FRONT-MOUNTED ELECTRIC MOTOR PAIRED WITH AN 88KWH LITHIUM IRON PHOSPHATE (LFP) BATTERY, DELIVERING A CLAIMED 546KM WLTP DRIVING RANGE.

Built on Hyundai’s 400V Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the Elexio supports DC fast charging, with a 10 to 80 per cent recharge achievable in 38

minutes using a 350kW charger.

Stylistically, Elexio adopts a clean, futuristic design inside and out, with a smooth silhouette. Five exterior colours will be offered, including Crystal White as standard, alongside premium Medium Grey, Pebble Blue, Dragon Red

and Phantom Black finishes. Measuring 4,615mm long, 1,875mm wide and riding on a 2,750mm wheelbase, the Elexio sits in the medium SUV segment, with 20-inch alloy wheels standard.

Inside, the cabin is designed around space, comfort and technology. A leather-

appointed interior is offered in Obsidian Black or Dove Grey, with heated and ventilated front seats, dual wireless phone chargers and a 506-litre cargo area, expanding to 1,540 litres with the rear seats folded.

Elexio will also debut Hyundai’s new Connect-C infotainment system in Australia. Based on the Android Automotive Operating System, it features a 27-inch ultra-thin 4K panoramic display, complemented by a standard head-up display projecting key information into the driver’s line of sight.

ADAS and safety systems are comprehensive and include 9 Airbags (front, front side thorax + pelvis, rear side thorax, curtain & front centre side); Blind-

INSIDE, THE CABIN IS DESIGNED AROUND SPACE, COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY.

Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA); Rear/Exit; Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM); Driver Attention Warning (DAW); Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2.0; Highway Driving Assist 2; and much more.

Importantly for local buyers, Hyundai says the Elexio has undergone an extensive Australian ride and handling development program. Hyundai engineers worked alongside the local chassis tuning team to create bespoke suspension and steering calibrations tailored specifically for Australian road conditions, prioritising comfort, refinement and stability.

SUBARU AUSTRALIA UNVEILS LIMITED-RUN BRZ TS KIIRO FOR 2026

SUBARU AUSTRALIA

HAS revealed a striking new addition to its performance line-up with the introduction of the BRZ tS Kiiro Limited Edition for 2026. Produced in limited numbers for global markets, just 95 examples have been allocated to Australia, making the BRZ tS Kiiro (the Japanese word for yellow) one of the most exclusive variants of the model ever offered locally.

Based on the flagship BRZ tS, which is powered by a 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder Boxer engine, the special edition offers some unique styling and interior detailing designed to make it stand apart from the standard range.

The headline feature is the exclusive Sunrise Yellow exterior paint, which is complemented by 18-inch matte black alloy wheels and a rear matte black ‘Kiiro’ badge. Inside, the driver-focused cabin receives black Ultrasuede and leather-accented sports seats with yellow perforation, yellow contrast stitching on the steering wheel and shift boot, and a dedicated ‘Kiiro’ badge displaying each car’s individual limited-edition number.

Priced at $53,590, the BRZ tS Kiiro

BASED ON THE FLAGSHIP BRZ TS, WHICH IS POWERED BY A 2.4-LITRE, 4-CYLINDER BOXER ENGINE, THE SPECIAL EDITION OFFERS SOME UNIQUE STYLING AND INTERIOR DETAILING . . .

Limited Edition will be available with either a manual or automatic transmission and the model is available to order now through Subaru retailers nationwide.

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NEW NISSAN QASHQAI ARRIVES IN LOCAL MARKET WITH AUSTRALIAN-MADE

E-POWER TECH

NISSAN AUSTRALIA HAS confirmed pricing and specifications for the MY26 Qashqai, which will arrive in showrooms in early 2026 equipped exclusively with the brand’s latestgeneration e-POWER electrified powertrain.

Nissan says the all-electrified lineup delivers meaningful gains across efficiency, refinement and performance. Combined fuel consumption has improved to 4.1L/100km (down from 4.8L/100km in the previous model year) while CO₂ emissions have been reduced from 112g/km to 92g/km. Cabin noise has also been cut by 5.6dB, delivering a quieter, more EV-like driving experience, while Sport Mode introduces a +10kW power boost for sharper response.

Nissan’s e-POWER system uses a petrol engine solely to generate electricity, with 100 per cent of drive delivered by an electric motor. This approach, the company says, provides instant acceleration, smooth power delivery and

NISSAN’S E-POWER SYSTEM USES A PETROL ENGINE SOLELY TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY, WITH 100 PER CENT OF DRIVE DELIVERED BY AN ELECTRIC MOTOR.

regenerative braking, while eliminating the need to plug in or rely on public charging infrastructure.

At the heart of the MY26 upgrade is a new 5-in-1 powertrain architecture that integrates the electric motor, generator, inverter, increaser and reducer into a single compact unit. It is paired with a redesigned 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine.

Crucially for Australia, high-pressure cast aluminium components for the new powertrain are engineered and manufactured at Nissan Casting Australia Plant in Dandenong South, which serves as the global sole supplier for this componentry. Every MY26 Qashqai

e-POWER sold worldwide will incorporate Australian-made technology.

The MY26 range has expanded with the introduction of a new entry-grade ST-L e-POWER, priced from $45,640 before onroad costs. It is joined by the Ti e-POWER ($49,640), Ti-L e-POWER ($53,640) and N-Design e-POWER ($54,140).

Technology upgrades extend beyond the powertrain, and standard equipment

BMW ALPINA: LAUNCH OF THE NEW EXCLUSIVE BMW GROUP BRAND

BMW GROUP HAS officially launched BMW ALPINA as a standalone, exclusive brand following the transfer of the Alpina trademark rights on 1 January 2026. The move marks a new chapter for the marque, now operating under the umbrella of the BMW Group while retaining its distinctive identity.

highlights include a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Digital Around View Monitor with Skeleton hood and T-Junction views, wireless smartphone charging, NissanConnect Services, Comprehensive Nissan Intelligent Mobility Safety suite, Intelligent Key with Walk Away Lock and Approach Unlock, and Dual-zone climate control.

ALPINA was founded in 1965, initially as a manufacturer of performance upgrades for BMW vehicles. Through the late 1960s and 1970s, ALPINA built a formidable reputation in motorsport and in 1983, ALPINA was officially recognised by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority as an independent automobile manufacturer, despite its cars being based on BMW platforms.

In 2022, BMW announced it would acquire the ALPINA brand rights, culminating in BMW ALPINA becoming an exclusive BMW Group brand from January 2026.

BMW says that, initially, the focus will be on brand activation, with BMW ALPINA positioned around its long-standing philosophy of combining maximum performance with superior ride comfort.

HYUNDAI UNVEILS ATLAS HUMANOID ROBOT STRATEGY TO TRANSFORM MANUFACTURING

HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP has unveiled an ambitious robotics strategy that positions humanoid robots - led by Boston Dynamics’ Atlas - at the centre of the future of manufacturing, logistics and industrial work. Revealed at CES 2026 under the theme Partnering

Human Progress, the strategy signals a decisive shift toward what the Group calls human-centered Physical AI.

At its core, Hyundai’s vision appears to be about how humans and robots collaborate, and the centrepiece of the announcement was the product-

ATLAS IS CAPABLE OF LIFTING LOADS OF UP TO 50KG, PERFORMING PRECISION TASKS, AND OPERATING AUTONOMOUSLY FROM DAY ONE, INCLUDING AUTOMATIC BATTERY REPLACEMENT.

ready version of the Atlas humanoid robot, developed by Boston Dynamics.

Engineered for real-world industrial deployment, standing at human scale and featuring 56 degrees of freedom, rotational joints and tactile-sensing hands, Atlas is designed to operate in spaces built for people.

Atlas is capable of lifting loads of up to 50kg, performing precision tasks, and operating autonomously from day one, including automatic battery replacement. Crucially for manufacturing, Hyundai says most tasks can be trained in under a day, dramatically reducing deployment time compared with traditional industrial robots.

The company says it plans to begin deploying Atlas at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia from 2028, initially for parts sequencing and material handling. By 2030, applications are expected to expand into

component assembly and other repetitive, physically demanding tasks. Over time, Atlas robots will scale across entire production sites once safety and quality benchmarks are validated.

A NEW MODEL FOR MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION

Unlike conventional automation, Hyundai’s approach is human-centric. Robots will take on high-risk, heavy and

repetitive tasks, while human workers remain in control - supervising, training and refining robotic behaviour.

Hyundai says it is creating a full Endto-End (E2E) AI Robotics Value Chain, leveraging its automotive manufacturing expertise, global logistics footprint and software capabilities.

Central to this effort is the SoftwareDefined Factory (SDF) platform. SDF factories continuously feed real-world production data back into AI systems, allowing robots to learn, adapt and improve in live environments.

Complementing this is the Robot Metaplant Application Center (RMAC), set to open in the United States in 2026. RMAC will act as a training and validation hub where robots learn human movementslifting, turning, recovering - and translate them into repeatable industrial tasks.

Hyundai is also partnering with NVIDIA to accelerate Physical AI development.

BEYOND FACTORIES: ROBOTS AS A SERVICE

Hyundai’s ambitions extend well beyond its own plants. The Group plans to massproduce up to 30,000 robots annually by 2028 and expand its Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model globally.

Longer term, the company says humanoid robots are expected to

THE GROUP PLANS TO MASS-PRODUCE UP TO 30,000 ROBOTS ANNUALLY BY 2028 AND EXPAND ITS ROBOTICS-AS-ASERVICE (RAAS) MODEL GLOBALLY.

become the largest segment of the Physical AI market, extending into logistics, construction, energy and facility management.

For the automotive industry, Hyundai’s Atlas program may represent a fundamental shift. Manufacturing is no longer just about machines and people - but about intelligent systems that learn, adapt and collaborate.

If successful, Hyundai’s human-centered robotics strategy could redefine not only how cars are built, but how industrial work itself is performed in the decades ahead.

ANCAP REVEALS OUTSTANDING SAFETY PERFORMERS FOR 2025

ANCAP (AUSTRALASIAN NEW Car Assessment Program) has revealed its leading safety performers for 2025. The organisation – which specialises in independently testing new vehicles sold in Australia and New Zealand to assess their safety performance –identified the strongest-performing vehicles based on a weighted sum of scores across four pillars of assessment - Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist.

ANCAP said that these vehicles set the benchmark for safety performance in 2025, showing consumers and fleets the safest options in each segment, and that ‘these results reflect the increasing availability of high levels of safety performance across a broad range of vehicle types.’

The Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed by ANCAP in 2025, recording strong performance across all areas of occupant protection and active safety technology. This is the second time the Model Y has taken the lead position,

“. . . THE SAFEST VEHICLES ARE THOSE DESIGNED WITH SAFETY AS A SYSTEM, NOT A CHECKLIST,”

with the pre-facelifted Model Y awarded ANCAP's top performer in 2022.

The Toyota Hilux achieved the top score for a Utility vehicle.

“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist,” said Carla Hoorweg, ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, in a press release.

“The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection in everyday driving.

“The breadth of top performers this year shows that high levels of safety are achievable across multiple vehicle segments, giving consumers clearer choices when safety is a priority.”

ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO ESTREMA ARRIVES AS ULTRA-RARE COLLECTOR’S EDITION

ALFA ROMEO

AUSTRALIA has unveiled the Giulia Quadrifoglio Estrema, an exclusive special-edition sports sedan - limited to just 19 units for Australia - set to arrive in local showrooms this month.

Meaning ‘extreme’ in Italian, the Estrema has at its heart a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that is paired with a carbonfibre driveshaft and a titanium Akrapovic exhaust system with active valves and carbon-fibre tailpipe finishers. The result is a blockbusting 382kW and 606Nm, delivering trackinspired performance.

Visually, the Giulia Quadrifoglio Estrema is distinguished by extensive carbon-fibre detailing, including the Scudetto front grille, mirror caps, bonnet elements, rear spoiler and side skirts. A black Giulia rear nameplate, monochrome Alfa Romeo badging and 19-inch five-hole ‘teledial’ alloy wheels complete the exterior, while black Brembo brake calipers with white Alfa Romeo script provide a finishing touch. Three exterior colours are offered: Vulcano Black, Etna Red and Montreal Green.

Inside, the Estrema continues its racebred theme with carbon-fibre illuminated door sills, carbon-fibre trim across the dash, doors and centre console, and

slip differential, Alfa DNA Pro drive modes, active suspension, a carbon-fibre active aero splitter and 50:50 weight distribution. Driver assistance features include Level 2 autonomous driving capability, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and adaptive matrix LED headlights.

Priced from $186,990 MSRP, the Giulia Quadrifoglio Estrema can be personalised with optional carbon-ceramic brakes or Sparco carbon-fibre front seats. With only 19 destined for Australian roads, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Estrema looks like a rare opportunity for enthusiasts and collectors to secure something a bit special.

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NEW-GENERATION NISSAN NAVARA HITS LOCAL SHOWROOMS

NISSAN AUSTRALIA HAS announced full pricing and specifications for the new Nissan Navara, ahead of the fifth-generation ute’s arrival in local showrooms next month. Marking 40 years since the Navara nameplate was first introduced to Australia in 1986, the latest model looks to blend proven workhorse credentials with modern tech, enhanced safety and locally tuned ride and handling.

Priced from $53,348 (MSRP) before onroad costs, the new Navara range consists of four Dual Cab 4x4 grades – SL, ST, ST-X and PRO-4X – all offered exclusively with automatic transmission.

PRICED FROM $53,348 (MSRP) BEFORE ON-ROAD COSTS, THE NEW NAVARA RANGE CONSISTS OF FOUR DUAL CAB 4X4 GRADES – SL, ST, ST-X AND PRO4X – ALL OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

All variants are powered by a 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine producing 150kW and 470Nm, paired with a wide-ratio six-speed automatic transmission. The combination delivers a claimed combined

fuel consumption of 7.7L/100km, while maintaining a braked towing capacity of 3500kg across the entire range.

A 5-Star ANCAP safety rating is supported by eight airbags and a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning with Emergency Lane Assist, Blind Spot Warning, and an Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection.

The entry-level SL offers features include an electronic locking rear differential, LED headlamps and tail lamps, 17-inch steel wheels with all-terrain tyres, and Nissan’s Easy Select 4WD system with

dual-range transfer case. Inside, buyers get a 7-inch digital instrument display and a 9-inch touchscreen with DAB+ radio, wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. Cloth-trimmed seats and tailgate assist complete a work-focused yet wellequipped package.

The ST adds extra comfort and convenience. Key upgrades include 17-inch silver alloy wheels, LED front fog lamps, heated and power-folding exterior mirrors, a leather-accented steering wheel, autodimming rear-view mirror, carpet flooring and privacy glass for the rear cabin.

The ST-X steps into premium territory, introducing Nissan’s Super 4WD system with a Torsen limited-slip centre differential and seven selectable terrain modes.

Exterior upgrades include 18-inch gunmetal alloy wheels, body-colour accents and side

THE FLAGSHIP PRO-4X OFFERS UNIQUE DESIGN ELEMENTS INCLUDE LAVA RED ORANGE EXTERIOR ACCENTS, 17-INCH MATT BLACK ALLOYS, BLACK ROOF RAILS AND DISTINCTIVE INTERIOR TRIM WITH ORANGE STITCHING.

steps, while the cabin gains leatheraccented seats with power adjustment and heating, dual-zone climate control, pushbutton start and a wireless smartphone charger. A sports bar, tub liner and tailgate assist are fitted.

The flagship PRO-4X offers unique design elements include lava red orange exterior accents, 17-inch matt black alloys, black roof rails and distinctive interior trim with

orange stitching. Exclusively, the PRO-4X includes a factory-fitted towbar as standard.

A key differentiator for the new Navara is its locally developed suspension, engineered by Premcar specifically for Australian conditions. Nissan says the setup was tested over more than 18,000km on everything from outback corrugations to urban roads, delivering improved comfort, control and confidence whether loaded, unloaded or towing.

The all-new Nissan Navara goes on sale in Australia in March through Nissan's nationwide dealer network.

PRICING

Navara SL Dual Cab 4x4 Pick-Up AT - $53,348

Navara ST Dual Cab 4x4 Pick-Up AT - $56,765

Navara ST-X Dual Cab 4x4 Pick-Up AT - $63,177

Navara PRO-4X Dual Cab 4x4 Pick-Up.

FIAT PROFESSIONAL SCUDO SERIES 3 LANDS IN AUSTRALIA

FIAT PROFESSIONAL AUSTRALIA

has announced the arrival of the new Scudo Series 3, with the latestgeneration mid-size van due to reach dealerships this month.

The new model arrives in two body lengths - Short Wheelbase (SWB) and Long Wheelbase (LWB) - and two trim levels, Scudo and Primo, each offering generous standard equipment and a comprehensive suite of driver assistance technologies.

Powering the Scudo Series 3 is a 2-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 110kW and 370Nm. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with electronic selector, the drivetrain delivers a combined consumption figure of 6.3L/100km. There’s a 69-litre fuel tank, and reinforced suspension with load-adaptive damping.

Externally, the Scudo adopts Fiat Professional’s design language, highlighted by prominent front badging and modern lighting signatures. Dual sliding side doors

POWERING THE SCUDO SERIES 3 IS A 2-LITRE TURBO-DIESEL ENGINE PRODUCING 110KW AND 370NM.

and rear doors open to 270 degrees, while the van’s sub-1.94-metre height ensures compatibility with most urban car parks. Cargo volume ranges from 5.3m³ to 6.6m³, with payloads exceeding 1.3 tonnes and a wide load bay capable of accommodating Australian and European standard pallets.

Inside, the Scudo is designed as a functional mobile office. The cabin offers a car-like driving position, smart storage solutions and a three-seat layout. Equipment includes a heated driver’s seat and steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Primo variants add keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, full LED headlights, wireless phone charging, LED load-bay lighting and Fiat’s Moduwork Mobile Office system with an adjustable workstation and load-through bulkhead flap allowing cargo lengths up to four metres.

Safety technology is comprehensive across the range, featuring Autonomous

MITSUBISHI EXPANDS

OUTLANDER LINE-UP WITH NEW LS BLACK EDITION

MITSUBISHI MOTORS

AUSTRALIA Limited (MMAL) has announced the arrival of a new limited-edition variant to its Outlander range, with the LS Black Edition set to hit local showrooms this month.

Emergency Braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Driver Attention Assist, Intelligent Speed Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and six airbags.

Pricing starts at $48,490 plus on-road costs for the SWB Scudo, rising to $52,990 for the LWB Primo.

The Outlander LS Black Edition adopts a bold blacked-out exterior theme, with exterior highlights including a two-tone black roof, black roof rails, black dynamic shield and fog lamp bezels, black quarter window garnish, black side mirrors and beltline mouldings, along with material black garnishes on the front and rear bumpers. Completing the look are black 18-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, Mitsubishi has introduced several features drawn from the higher spec Aspire grade. These include heated front seats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, microsuede seat trim with synthetic leather bolsters, and synthetic leather

door inserts front and rear — bringing a more premium feel to the cabin.

The LS Black Edition is available exclusively with Mitsubishi’s Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system, delivering enhanced traction and handling across varied driving conditions.

These additions build upon the LS model’s existing features, which include an eight-speaker Dynamic Yamaha Sound audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and Australiantuned suspension.

The Mitsubishi Outlander LS Black Edition will be priced from $47,990 (RRP) when it arrives in dealerships.

AUSTRALIA’S NEW VEHICLE MARKET MARKS SOLID SALES FOR 2025 Vehicle sales

AUSTRALIA’S NEW-VEHICLE

MARKET delivered a good overall result in 2025, with total sales reaching 1,241,037 units, according to VFACTS data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) which recorded 1,209,808 units sold, combined with sales data for Polestar and Tesla from the Electric Vehicle Council (31,229 units).

Figures released in early January 2026 show the market finished the year on a positive note, with 98,744 new vehicles sold in December 2025, representing a 3 per cent increase compared with December 2024.

PLUG-IN HYBRIDS LEAD DRIVETRAIN GROWTH

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) recorded the strongest growth of any drivetrain during 2025, with sales more than doubling to 53,484 units, an increase of 130.9 per cent compared with 2024. Conventional hybrid vehicles also continued to gain momentum, with 199,133 units sold, up 15.3 per cent year on year, reinforcing their position as the most popular lower-emissions option among Australian consumers.

“Many consumers are choosing hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles as a practical transition toward lower emissions. While the industry is investing heavily in battery electric technology, uptake ultimately depends on consumer

“MANY CONSUMERS ARE CHOOSING HYBRID AND PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLES AS A PRACTICAL TRANSITION TOWARD LOWER EMISSIONS.”

readiness and the availability of reliable public recharging infrastructure,” said Tony Weber, FCAI CEO.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales from all sources totalled 103,269 units in 2025, accounting for 8.3 per cent of total market sales. Despite the availability of more than 100 BEV models in Australia, growth in the segment has been slower than anticipated according to Mr Weber.

ADAPTING TO THE NEW VEHICLE EFFICIENCY STANDARD

The FCAI said that the automotive industry continues to adjust to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), which commenced last year. 2025 targets are considered relatively achievable. However, substantially tighter limits apply in future years.

“The NVES has provided policy certainty and has led to an increased availability of EVs in Australia. However, it has had little discernible effect on EV demand,” said Mr Weber.

“There is growing concern about what the impact of NVES will be on vehicle availability, affordability and consumer

choice as the Government’s targets become more stringent.”

International experience, the FCAI said, suggests sustained EV uptake is closely tied to the availability of consumer incentives and supporting infrastructure.

“Countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States have seen sharp declines in EV sales when incentives were reduced or removed,” said Mr Weber.

“In Australia, remaining support mechanisms such as Fringe Benefits Tax concessions are currently under review. Any policy changes must recognise the clear relationship between incentives and consumer demand, not just vehicle supply.”

CHINA STRENGTHENS ROLE AS A VEHICLE SOURCE

Vehicles manufactured in China accounted for approximately 18 per cent of total new-vehicle sales in 2025, up from around 14 per cent in 2024, making China Australia’s third-largest source of vehicles last year. Japan remained the largest source country, followed by Thailand, with Korea in fourth position. Collectively, these

four Asian manufacturing nations supplied 80 per cent of the Australian market.

SUVS DOMINATE THE MARKET

SUVs continued to dominate Australian buying preferences in 2025, accounting for 60.7 per cent of total sales, followed by light commercial vehicles at 22.6 per cent and passenger vehicles at 13 per cent. SUV sales rose 5.5 per cent to 733,831 units, while passenger vehicle sales fell by 22.6 per cent to 157,484 units, extending the long-term shift away from traditional sedans and hatchbacks.

LEADING BRANDS, MODELS AND STATE RESULTS

Toyota led the market in 2025 with 239,863 vehicles sold, representing around 19.8 per cent of total sales, followed by Ford (94,399), Mazda (91,293), Kia (82,105) and Hyundai (77,208). The Ford Ranger topped the model rankings with 56,555 sales, ahead of the Toyota RAV4, HiLux, Ford Everest and Toyota Prado.

During 2025, sales in Queensland fell 1.3 per cent to 259,903; fell in the ACT by 3.8 per cent to 16,917; NSW declined

0.3 per cent to 367,947; the Northern Territory increased 0.6 per cent to 10,503; South Australia declined 2.4 per cent to 78,811; Tasmania fell 2.2 per cent to 19,892; Victoria declined 1.4 per cent to 323,768; and Western Australia increased 1.0 per cent to 132,067.

MOTORCYCLE SALES EASE IN 2025

AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE AND offhighway vehicle sales softened slightly in 2025, with total deliveries reaching 92,967 units, down 1.3 per cent compared with 2024, according to industry data.

Off-road motorcycles proved to be one

REPORT FINDS USED CAR SALES

HOLD STEADY AS CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IMPROVES

AUSTRALIA’S USED CAR market has shown signs of stabilisation after several years of volatility, according to the newly released Annual 2025 Automotive Insights Report (AIR) from the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA), produced in partnership with AutoGrab.

The report reveals that national used car sales totalled 2.32 million vehicles in 2025, representing a modest decline of just 0.37 per cent compared with 2024. The marginal change underscores a broadly stable market, marking a shift away from the extreme price movements and supply disruptions that have characterised recent years.

According to the AIR, 2025 saw the used car sector settle into a more sustainable operating environment, with improved conditions for both buyers and sellers. Stock availability became more predictable and pricing pressures eased, allowing market participants to make more informed, data-driven decisions.

One of the most significant developments highlighted in the report was the growing role of dealerships in used car transactions. Dealer-led sales accounted for 48.6 per cent of the total used car market in 2025, up sharply from 39.1 per cent the previous year.

Vehicle preferences also continued to evolve throughout

of the more resilient segments of the market, with sales remaining steady at 41,190 units - 12 more than the previous year. In contrast, road motorcycle sales declined by 3.6 per cent to 33,018 units. Scooter sales moved in the opposite direction, increasing by 3.8 per cent to 4,933 units, highlighting continued interest in smaller, urban-friendly mobility options.

Sales of off-highway vehicles totalled 13,826 units for the year, representing a modest 1.4 per cent decline compared with 2024.

Yamaha maintained its position as the top-selling brand nationally, followed by Honda and Kawasaki.

THE REPORT REVEALS THAT NATIONAL USED CAR SALES TOTALLED 2.32 MILLION VEHICLES IN 2025 . . .

the year. SUVs further strengthened their dominance of the used car market, while traditional passenger vehicles continued to lose share. At the same time, electrified vehiclesincluding hybrids, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles - continued to expand their presence, reflecting changing consumer attitudes and increased availability.

AutoGrab chief operating officer Saxon Odgers said the data confirmed the market had moved into a healthier phase.

“The Annual 2025 Automotive Insights Report confirms the used car market has moved beyond the distortions of recent years and into a more stable, sustainable phase. What we’re seeing now is a structurally healthier market, where disciplined pricing, better stock availability and data-led decision making are once again central to dealer performance,” said Odgers in a media release.

“With supply chains normalising and transparency improving, the 2025 results provide a constructive foundation for 2026. Dealers and OEMs now have a clearer line of sight to pricing, risk and inventory planning than at any point in the last five years.”

NEW-CAR MARKET OPENS 2026 STEADY AS ELECTRIFIED VEHICLES GAIN GROUND

AUSTRALIA’S NEW VEHICLE

market opened 2026 on a steady footing, with January sales reaching 87,092 vehicles, according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). The result represents a 0.3 per cent increase compared with January 2025.

State and territory results were mixed. Sales were down in Queensland by 0.7 per cent to 18,782; and declines were also noted in the Northern Territory (down 18.1 per cent to 628), South Australia (down 3.0 per cent to 5,619), Tasmania (down 0.8 per cent to 1,424) and Western Australia (down 12.7 per cent to 8,952). Sales increased in the Australian Capital Territory (up 2 per cent to 1,160), NSW (up 2.3 per cent to 26,305) and Victoria (up 6.3 per cent to 24,222).

PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES (PHEVS) RECORDED THE STRONGEST GROWTH, WITH 5,161 UNITS SOLD DURING THE MONTH.

Toyota retained its position as Australia’s leading automotive brand in January with 14,310 sales, followed by Mazda (7,692), Kia (6,600), Ford (6,116) and Hyundai (5,856). On a model basis, the Ford Ranger led the market with 3,403 sales, ahead of the Toyota HiLux (2,800), Mazda CX-5 (2,289), Chery Tiggo 4 Pro (2,234) and Mitsubishi Outlander (1,975).

While overall volumes were largely unchanged year-on-year, the composition of the market continues to evolve. Petrolpowered vehicle sales declined by 14 per cent in January, highlighting a gradual shift in buyer preferences toward electrified powertrains, particularly hybrids and plugin hybrids.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) recorded the strongest growth, with 5,161 units sold during the month. This represented 5.9 per cent of total sales and a substantial 170.5 per cent increase compared with January 2025. Hybrid vehicles accounted for 17.4 per cent of all new vehicles sold, while battery electric vehicles (BEVs) made up 8.4 per cent of the market across all brands and sources.

The latest data also underlines the continued diversification of Australia’s vehicle supply. China is now firmly established as the second-largest source of new vehicles sold locally, behind Japan, with Chinese-sourced vehicles growing by 68.6 per cent over the past 12 months.

Workplace relations

EVANGELINE KANNIS SENIOR WORKPLACE RELATIONS ADVISOR

THE LATEST ON ‘EMPLOYEE RECORDS’ OBLIGATIONS

THE FEDERAL COURT recently considered whether an employer had breached the Fair Work Act or Regulations when the employer was unable to locate an employee's contract. The Court concluded it hadn’t.

The case serves as a good reminder to employers to know their rights and obligations when it comes to employment records.

Home appliance manufacturer Hisense Australia was appealing a decision from July 2025, in which Federal Circuit Court Judge Catherine Symons found it took unlawful adverse action against an employee.

The initial judge found the employer's HR manager took a "retaliatory approach" to the employee, who was "becoming a nuisance" to management "through his persistent efforts to obtain information and documentation that his status as employee entitled him to".

Judge Symons heard the employer told the employee it couldn't locate his contract, and she found it had breached its record-keeping obligations under section 535(3) of the Fair Work Act, along with its obligation to make a copy of an employee record available to an employee upon request, under reg 3.42 of the FW Regulations. This led to a finding of underpayment.

On Appeal, the Federal Court considered ‘what is an employee record?’ after the employer argued that an employment contract is not a type of record required to be kept under reg 3.32 of the Fair Work Regulations, and so it had no obligation to keep a record of the contract.

Consideration of the nuances in various Regulations and legislation concluded a lack of a specific obligation to maintain a contract of employment, meaning that:

• the employee's request for a copy of his contract wasn't a request for an 'employee record' within the meaning of reg 3.42; and

GENERALLY . . . THERE ARE SOUND REASONS TO TRY TO ENSURE THIS TYPE OF CONTRACT IS SAFELY STORED AS PART OF YOUR EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS.

• the employer hadn't contravened either reg 3.42 or s 535(3) of the FW Act.

The Federal Court therefore set aside the respective order in the initial decision. The employer was not required to keep or provide a copy. Generally, from a practical HR perspective there are sound reasons to try to ensure this type of contract is safely stored as part of your evidence of compliance with the regulations.

• The case referred to here is Hisense Australia Pty Ltd v Naskovski [2026] FCA 20 (28 January 2026)

■ The information in this article is general and does not constitute legal advice. For more information, or any other workplace relations advice and assistance, contact MTAQ on 07 3237 8777.

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MTA Institute News

MARCELLO

DIRECTOR, MTA INSTITUTE

On the first morning of the year, the MTA Institute workshop is quiet. In nearby classrooms, whiteboards are blank, and new cohorts haven’t yet walked through the door.

But across Australia, something important is already underway. Because in automotive education, a new year doesn’t begin when classes resume - it begins with a shared obligation.

An obligation to Australia’s workforce. To regional and metropolitan communities. To apprentices, students, and industry who rely on us to keep the nation moving.

The automotive industry we train for today is not the one many of us trained in. Internal combustion still matters but so do electric drivetrains, advanced driver assistance systems, connectivity, software updates, and evolving safety standards. The vehicles are changing. The skills are changing.

And the education sector is where that change becomes capability. Our educators are doing more than delivering units - they are interpreting training packages, translating emerging technologies into practical skills, and helping learners connect competency with confidence.

In workshops, apprentices are learning that being a modern automotive technician means more than turning spanners. It means understanding systems, interpreting data, working safely with high voltage platforms, and adapting to technology that evolves every year. They are becoming tradespeople who can think critically, communicate clearly, and work across disciplines.

And behind the scenes, trainers, assessors, and leaders are balancing demanding realities:

• Meeting ASQA and RTO Standards

• Maintaining currency in a rapidly advancing industry

• Supporting diverse learners, career changers, and school to work pathways

• Strengthening industry partnerships that give training real meaning

It is essential work. Because every qualified apprentice who completes their training helps address skills shortages. Every upskilled technician strengthens regional economies. Every inclusive learning pathway opens doors for people who may never have seen themselves in this industry before.

This year will test us. Technology will keep accelerating. Industry expectations will continue to rise. Training delivery models will need to adapt again and again.

But this year also offers opportunity. Opportunity to modernise how automotive training is delivered. Opportunity to champion vocational education as a first choice pathway. Opportunity to ensure sustainability, safety, and innovation are embedded in every qualification. Opportunity to show learners that their skills matter - not just to employers, but to Australia’s future.

When the workshop doors open. When the first apprentice signs their training plan. When a learner passes an assessment that once felt impossible. That’s when the year truly starts, with people stepping forward to learn, teach, and lead.

Because the future of Australia’s automotive industry doesn’t begin in policy documents or showrooms. It begins right here - in our RTO, our workshops, and our belief in the power of education to drive change.

WAYNE LEE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY SKILLS & JOBS ADVISOR

SETTING UP YOUR APPRENTICE/ TRAINEE FOR SUCCESS

PART 6: COMPLETE THE APPRENTICESHIP

HAVING IMPLEMENTED

the tips from the previous instalments, you have the right culture in place and have recruited the right person whom you have been skilling. Now, let’s discuss the completion process.

SIX KEY STEPS TO THE APPRENTICESHIP COMPLETION

1. Agree that the training and assessment are complete

2. Receive the qualification from the SRTO

3. Sign the completion agreement

4. Wait for the SRTO to send the completion agreement to the Department

5. Receive a completion certificate from the Department

6. Qualify & Employment

1. AGREE THAT THE TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT ARE COMPLETE

You, your apprentice or trainee and the Supervising Registered Training Organisation (SRTO) must all agree that your apprentice or trainee has fulfilled all the training and assessment listed in their training plan. This will also include the provision that they can demonstrate that they are competent in the workplace.

As apprenticeships and traineeships are competency-based, not time-based, your apprentice or trainee could be ready to complete earlier than the 'nominal completion date' in the training contract.

Conversely, they may not have completed the training by the nominal completion date due to illness etc. In this instance, you will require an extension to the Training Contract. You will need to discuss this with your Apprentice Connect Australia Provider (ACAP).

2. RECEIVE QUALIFICATION FROM SRTO

Your SRTO will issue a qualification to your apprentice or trainee once they have successfully completed all training and assessment requirements listed in their training plan.

YOU, YOUR APPRENTICE OR TRAINEE AND THE SUPERVISING REGISTERED TRAINING ORGANISATION (SRTO) MUST ALL AGREE THAT YOUR APPRENTICE OR TRAINEE HAS FULFILLED ALL THE TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT LISTED IN THEIR TRAINING PLAN.

3. SIGN THE COMPLETION AGREEMENT

You, your apprentice or trainee and SRTO will need to fill out a completion agreement (normally provided by the SRTO). There are separate sections for each party within the form. If the training contract has been temporarily transferred, the apprentice or trainee must return to the original employer before completing the apprenticeship or traineeship. The original employer must sign the completion agreement, not the temporary employer.

4. WAIT FOR THE SRTO TO SEND THE COMPLETION AGREEMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT

Once the SRTO has signed the completion agreement, they must send it to the Department within 10 days of it being signed.

5. RECEIVE A COMPLETION CERTIFICATE FROM THE DEPARTMENT

The Department will issue a completion certificate to the apprentice or trainee for the apprenticeship or traineeship, and a letter to you confirming the apprenticeship or traineeship has been completed.

6. QUALIFY & EMPLOYMENT

Your employee is now trade qualified, or skilled in their vocation, with a nationally recognised qualification and is no longer an apprentice or trainee.

You do not need to continue employing your apprentice or trainee once they have completed (unless they were a

pre-existing employee to start with); however, you can now employ them as a qualified member of your staff.

Final Tip – Ensure you congratulate the apprentice and the team who have supported them in their training and communicate their progression to the whole workplace team, preferably through a celebration. I would also hang in the lunchroom copies of all qualifications acquired in the specific workplace to reinforce the skilling culture of the business. There is more great information and resources on the

Department Website: Steps to employ an apprentice or trainee | Business Queensland.

• If you would like more information or advice about automotive industry skilling, please contact Wayne Lee, the Automotive Industry Skills Advisor on waynel@mtaq.com.au

• This project is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.

TO MORE THAN 22,000 PEOPLE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE MOTORING INDUSTRY (WEBSITE OR E-MAGAZINE OPTIONS)

Apprentice of the Month: December 2025

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

APPRENTICE:

THOMAS CROSS

WORKPLACE:

COASTLINE BMW

APPRENTICESHIP: LIGHT VEHICLE MECHANICAL

THOMAS CROSS IS the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month for December 2025.

The 21-year-old recently completed his light vehicle apprenticeship at Coastline BMW at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, and according to his MTA Institute trainer Dennis Shaw, proved to be a very focused, capable student and employee during his training.

“Thomas' work ethic, technical skills, and proactive approach are truly commendable,” said Dennis when nominating him for the award. “He consistently tackles complex tasks with competence and delivers high-quality results. His ability to perform at such an advanced level is a testament to his dedication and rapid development within his trade.”

Thomas’ path to becoming a technician began while he was at school. In Grade 11, he enrolled in a trade school one day a week, completing a Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation. He would go on to do a week of work experience with Coastline BMW, which would lead to the apprenticeship opportunity.

He started as a school-based apprentice when in Grade 12 and throughout his final year of school, Thomas spent every Friday - and every school holiday - in the workshop, steadily building skills and confidence, before becoming a full-time employee after graduating.

A career in automotive was always likely for Thomas. A hands-on upbringing played a major role in shaping his mechanical ability. Growing up on a 46-acre property, he was regularly in the shed helping his dad repair farm machinery. He would turn his hand to car restoration projects too - at the ender age of just 15, Thomas bought a Datsun 1600 shell from his uncle and spent two years restoring it with his dad.

“I painted panels, cut out rust, rebuilt the engine, did a gearbox swap - all of that,” he said. “And I drove it to high school!”

It was the first of many restoration projects he took on, and one that led to other notable models upon which he has worked. It’s also where he realised that it was mechanical work, rather than panel repair, painting, or other automotive pathways, that was where he wanted to pursue a career.

“We recently finished off my dad’s XY Falcon GT that he’s had for 30 years,” said Thomas. “I still love working on old cars. It’s different to what I do day to day, and I really enjoy it.

“And rebuilding engines, doing cams and so on, is fun - I always liked the nuts and bolts more than painting.”

Working with his hands on the farm machinery and the car projects provided some focus for Thomas at a time when traditional learning environments were challenging.

“I have severe dyslexia and my reading and writing was never up to scratch,” he explained. “Working on cars was like the first thing I was really good at.”

That confidence snowballed into a genuine passion and Thomas learned to live with his dyslexia along the way.

“I’ve learned to manage it over the years, and it doesn’t really hold me back in any form in what I do,” he said.

While he enjoys working on and restoring older cars, his job at Coastline BMW ensures that Thomas works on vehicles that are at the very cutting edge of the automotive technological evolution, including electrification.

Working on and understanding the technological development of cars is part of what drew him to BMW, where learning about high-voltage technology is part of everyday work and where the commitment to excellence ensures continual professional development.

“If we like it or not, it’s the future of being a mechanic,” said Thomas of vehicle electrification. “And I want to be as qualified as I can be. I always want to push myself and be better at what I do.”

Now qualified, Thomas said he had some ideas and thoughts about where his career may lead over the years but that, for now, he was keeping his focus firmly on the present.

“I just want to be as good as I possibly can at my job right now,” he said. “And I’ll see where that takes me.”

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

• Do you have a high-achieving apprentice colleague?

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

• Are they training with MTA Institute? CLICK HERE FOR

Apprentice of the Month: January 2026

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

APPRENTICE:

LINCOLN WELLS

WORKPLACE:

MAREEBA TOYOTA

APPRENTICESHIP:

LIGHT VEHICLE MECHANICAL

LINCOLN WELLS IS the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month for January 2026.

The 20-year-old is in the fourth year of his light vehicle apprenticeship at Hansen Ford & Mareeba Toyota in Mareeba, Far North Queensland, and has impressed both his trainer and his employer with his strong work ethic, enthusiasm, and positive attitude.

“He is keen, motivated, and continually pushes his abilities, showing clear growth and maturity in both his skills and attitude,” said Antony Joslin, Lincoln’s MTA Institute trainer, when nominating him for the award. “He has consistently scored high on his assessments and is a model apprentice.”

Lincoln’s pathway into the industry began while he was still at school, and indeed he began his career as a schoolbased apprentice. However, his interest in automotive work was shaped long before that, growing out of time spent at home with his father.

“I used to help him in the shed working on his cars. I think that's where my love of cars comes from,” said Lincoln of working with his dad. “And then he bought a car from Toyota, found out they were looking for apprentices, and he asked, ‘Are you guys looking for a school-based apprentice?’ And it went from there.”

That simple question opened the door at Mareeba Toyota and was when Lincoln met his boss, Jamahl Byrne.

For those with long memories, Jamahl Byrne is a name you might recognise as he is a former winner of the Apprentice of the Month award himself. In fact, Jamahl went one step further, winning the MTA Queensland Apprentice of the Year award in 2016. He has since worked his way up to become a Toyota Master Technician and is now Service Manager. Having walked the same road that Lincoln is just beginning, he sees just how good a tech Lincoln could become.

“He's very good,” said Jamahl. “He's probably a little bit further along than I was when I was at his age. He's shaping up to be better than I was!”

That’s some praise considering who it’s coming from, but Lincoln seems unfazed. Perhaps its because of his enthusiasm for the work, along with the encouragementfrom Jamahl and the team at the dealership - to get stuck in and develop a diagnostic mindset. While he enjoys the variety of work that comes his way, it’s the deeper mechanical tasks that really spark his interest.

“I enjoy pulling engines apart. I find that quite fun,” he said. “Jamahl is good for that. For example, if you ask him about it, then rather than replace a gearbox he’ll look to strip it apart to find out what went wrong instead.”

Lincoln works alongside around 10 others in the shared Hansen Ford/Mareeba Toyota workshop, and a key part of his development has been the one-on-one workplace training delivered through the MTA Institute by trainer Antony Joslin. Lincoln said he values the one-on-one approach that the Institute uses to deliver training.

“Anthony is really good,” he said. “He'll tailor how he trains you . . . because everyone's a little different, and the fact that you work one-on-one with a trainer works well.”

Looking ahead, Lincoln has clear ambitions to continue building on this developing technical skillset, and that will include working on electrified technology, once he has completed his apprenticeship. And with about a year to go until he completes that apprenticeship, he has given some thought to where his career is headed post-qualification. Not surprisingly, sticking with Mareeba Toyota and taking advantage of the training opportunities Toyota gives its techs is the option he’d like to pursue.

“I'd like to think I could climb the ranks,” he said. “I wouldn't mind being a workshop foreman eventually, working with and helping other apprentices and teaching them different things. That would be pretty cool.”

Supporting members with Care, every step of the way

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At CareSuper, delivering great service is at the heart of everything we do. Under the leadership of Chief Operations Officer Kathleen Crawford, our service delivery teams are dedicated to supporting members - providing the guidance, clarity, and confidence they need throughout their retirement journey.

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Crawford Chief Operations Officer

MTA Institute Graduates

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MTA INSTITUTE’S LATEST GRADUATES

THE MTA INSTITUTE is the largest independent provider of automotive apprenticeships and training in Queensland and it is always a proud moment when its

APPRENTICE

Nathan McLeary

Connor Schultz

students complete their trade qualification. Congratulations to everyone who was issued a qualification in December 2025 and January 2026. It's a fantastic achievement!

QUALIFICATION

Certificate III in Agricultural Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Agricultural Mechanical Technology

Tiana Handford Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Andrew Evans Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Jett Doolan Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Lane Alford

Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Bradley Cooper Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Luke Medhurst Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Hakan Claffey Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Mark Junelle Timoteo

Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology

Samuel Mcgimpsey Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Matthew Hogan-Thuell Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Alex Dingle Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Shane Kowald

Joseph Montagner

Andre Villari

Lincoln Costa

Kayne Phillips

Jack Dawson

Bradley Reiser

Kaidan Faulkner

Rory Williams

Jole Muccignat

Keelie Nicholls

Nicholas Schultz

Michael Horwood

Bryson Kington

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Matthew Lopez-Vito Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

Kenzie Lilley

Travis Jones

Taryn Cox

Caleb Kurz

Zachary Roll

William Elliot

Jayden Mckay

Brayden-Jay Hannah

Liam Walker

Ryan Corcoran

Tayze Ross

Aidan McInnes

Connor Mortimer

Certificate III in Automotive Sales (Parts Intrepreting)

Certificate III in Automotive Sales (Parts Intrepreting)

Certificate III in Automotive Sales (Parts Intrepreting)

Certificate III in Automotive Underbody Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

TRAINER

Gavin Jacobs

Gavin Jacobs

Keiran Charters

Shane Palmer

Shane Palmer

Alfio Rotolone

Shane Palmer

Alfio Rotolone

Alfio Rotolone

Patrick Cranitch

Gareth Hartley

Ross Wilson

Michael De Waard

Michael De Waard

Antony Joslin

James Ortiz

James Ortiz

Dennis Shaw

Kevin Ryan

Samuel Lawson

Samuel Lawson

Stephen Baker

Shane Palmer

Shane Palmer

Shane Palmer

Shane Palmer

Ronil Datt

Patrick Cranitch

Andrew Elson

Scott Buckley

Ivan Aird

Derrick Pratt

Ross Wilson

Michael De Waard

Gavin Jacobs

Michael De Waard

Scott Buckley

Sol Layland

Lindsay Hollyman

Steve Adams

Steve Adams

APPRENTICE QUALIFICATION TRAINER

Lachlan Towne

Rory Duncan

Jack Peverill

Russell Ross

Heather Connon

David Nicol

Trent Woodstock

Wesley Karsten

Simon Harbourn

Jacob Muller

Zane Cavanagh

Shane Keates

Tyler Kelley

Jaxon Pedersen

Rhyss Janke

Nicholas O'Donnell

Dean Glennie

Kylan Tranberg

Alaysiah Stapleton

Daniel Willans

Cooper Smith

Shaun Zimmermann

Gavin Speed

Christopher Lee

Mahaliah Aniston

Adam Porter

Liam Shakespeare

Kurtis Mogg

Minol Mihindukulasuriya

Bao Duong

Charlie Tramacchi

Harrison Crookes

Samuel Ford

Harrison McLean

Emily Koning

Chloe Lord

Riley Howsan

Flynn Sunderland

Samuel Dennien

Jesse Evans

Aden Shalak

Thomas Cross

Kody Daly

Varun Indra

Maxwell Cohen

Brodie Rose

Tayne Vowless

Clayton Cameron

Christian Thomas

Wayne Morgan

Mitchel Henson

Rhys Hugo

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology (Mobile Plant Equipment)

Certificate III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology

Certificate III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology

Steve Adams

Craig Langson

Antony Joslin

Antony Joslin

Steve Cameron

James Ortiz

Terry Palfrey

Damien O'Connor

Sol Layland

Colin Crichton

Steve Cameron

Gareth Hartley

Lindsay Hollyman

Neil Bovey

Colin Crichton

James Ortiz

Colin Crichton

Michael De Waard

Lloyd Cross

Andrew Keys

Colin Crichton

Stephen Blaauw

Stephen Baker

John Harrison

Dennis Shaw

Janel Singh

Janel Singh

James Dixon

Keith Minchin

James Dixon

Adrian Renton

Jens Puder

Stephen Baker

James Dixon

Samuel Lawson

Stephen Blaauw

Dennis Shaw

Dennis Shaw

Dennis Shaw

Samuel Lawson

Dennis Shaw

Dennis Shaw

Jens Puder

Janel Singh

Stephen Baker

Gareth Hartley

Andrew Keys

Simon Verkroost

Michael De Waard

Ross Wilson

Scott Buckley

Ivan Aird

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR SHIFTS INTO TOP GEAR AT PENRITE RACING

WAY BACK IN October 2024, Wade Burgess - then a 31-yearold, fourth-year light vehicle apprentice working at CPV Lifts Tech in the southeast Queensland town of Tara –was named the MTA Institute Apprentice of the Month.

Plenty has happened since then.

In November 2025, Wade was recognised as the MTA Queensland Apprentice of the Year and, in January this year, he was able to enjoy the prize he received for winning that award – a week-long work experience placement with the Penrite Racing team at their state-of-the-art facility in Melbourne.

The experience came courtesy of Penrite Oil - a long-standing supporter of Australian motorsport as well as industry development – and to say that Wade found it exhilarating to work with the crew at one of the Repco Supercars Championship series top teams would be an epic understatement.

“MY WEEK'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE PENRITE RACING TEAM WAS JUST UNREAL FROM THE MOMENT I WALKED IN!”

“My week's experience with the Penrite Racing team was just unreal from the moment I walked in!” he said. “The first impression that those guys made on me was just amazing. They were very friendly, inviting, inclusive, just a fantastic bunch of people to work with."

Wade was able to get pretty involved with the work at Penrite Racing. While best known for their work in the Repco Supercars Championship – in which they finished second in the race for the team title, and secured victory at the legendary Bathurst 1000, in 2025 – Penrite Racing competes in other categories too, and Wade worked closely with other

technicians in the preparation of the Mercedes AMG GT3 that the team will be running in the Bathurst 12-hour event, taking place on February 15. Wade was, he said, blown away by the skills and knowledge of the technicians with whom he worked.

“Working with those guys was an absolute privilege. You have to be good

to work in that field, and they are the best. They've proven that!” he said. “. . .

Just to be around their experience is just something completely different. You have your mentor back home, but to be around a whole bunch of guys that are at their ‘A’ game all day, every day, is phenomenal.”

Wade enjoys a pretty full schedule back in Tara. At CPV Lifts Tech, under the

guidance of business owner Danny Russell, he works on a broad range of vehicles doing jobs from regular maintenance and servicing to complex diagnosis. He also, with wife Lisa, owns a business in town –Tara Saws and Mowers – which sees him service, maintain and provide outdoor power equipment to the community. It’s satisfying and fulfilling work, but the opportunity to spend time inside a top-flight motorsport operation such as

“. . . IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN MOTORSPORTS AGAIN, WHETHER IT BE FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME - OR JUST ANOTHER VISITI'D GRAB IT WITH BOTH HANDS!”

Penrite Racing was undeniably appealing, and the experience has left Wade open to future opportunities in motorsport should they arise.

“To be honest, if I had the opportunity to work in motorsport again, whether it be full-time or part-time - or just another visit - I'd grab it with both hands!” he said. “. . . Obviously, they have challenging days as everyone does, but to be in that environment and to be there with the

elite, learning from the elite, being part of the team is just amazing, and I think yes, if the opportunity ever arose, I'd be there!”

Reflecting on his journey from Apprentice of the Month to Apprentice of the Year and the Penrite Racing experience, Wade described the past year as unforgettable.

“It has been an emotional rollercoaster, and the experiences are just phenomenal,” he said. “Between being nominated for apprentice of the month through to winning apprentice of the year; the Penrite Racing experience; working with MTA Queensland and my trainer; working here with Danny at CPV Lifts Tech - everything has just been incredible.

“Probably the standout would have to be the feeling of having my name being called out to win the Apprentice of the Year award. You can't take away that feeling. It follows you - it's not just a one-night thing - and it just went on for days and weeks . . . the thrill of the ride has been fantastic.”

The Penrite Racing experience was the icing on the cake and Wade said it reminded him of just what the automotive trade can offer, and he is passionate about

encouraging young people in regional Queensland to consider an apprenticeship and to back themselves.

“If there’s any young people considering an apprenticeship, even if you are out here in regional Queensland, there is so much support,” he said. “MTA Queensland is amazing, and your trade can take you as far as you want it to take you . . . Don't think that because you're out here in the regions that you're not going to get anywhere, because you will. If you want it to, you will. The support is there.”

MTA QUEENSLAND & FRESH START ACADEMY PARTNER TO TRAIN

FUTURE AUTO TECHS

IN A MOVE that has created new vocational pathways for young, vulnerable and at-risk residents in Far North Queensland (FNQ), the MTA Institute has teamed up with the Cairnsbased, not-for-profit organisation Fresh Start Academy to deliver pre-vocational automotive training programs.

The first course - a Certificate II in Automotive Pre-Vocational Training - was delivered one day a week over 14 weeks from mid-2025 and achieved spectacular results. Of the 10 students who took part in the course, nine completed and there were six employment outcomes – meaning six of the participants found employment in the weeks after completing the training.

The success of that initial program was such that more are now scheduled, including another Cert II program that is currently underway and a Certificate I to start in a few weeks.

The collaboration between Fresh Start Academy and the MTA Institute represents on one hand a practical response to workforce shortages in the trades and, on another, an investment in community-led youth development.

Building opportunities for young people is central to the Academy’s mission.

Founded in 2019 by former youth worker Rob Hodge, Fresh Start Academy is dedicated to equipping disengaged

OF THE 10 STUDENTS WHO TOOK PART IN THE COURSE, NINE COMPLETED AND

THERE WERE SIX EMPLOYMENT

OUTCOMES

. . .

and at-risk young people with realworld capabilities and skills, and the organisation’s initial programs were built around providing participants with barber training. Its approach of blending hands-on vocational skills with mentoring and personal support has proved to be popular and effective and its expansion into automotive training will see the Academy soon open a purpose-built, fully equipped workshop. It is soon to also offer training for the construction industry and is expanding its operations to Townsville.

The Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation is a course designed to give students a basic introduction to the automotive industry, with students learning a range of tasks relating to identifying and inspecting mechanical and electrical components and systems of light vehicles. For the first Fresh Start Academy intake, the course was held two days a week for 14 weeks.

According to Rob, the interest in the Cert II automotive training was tremendous from the start and that interest only gathered steam following the first course. Once the community got wind that Fresh Start was following up that initial program with more automotive training, the referral lines got busy very quickly.

“. . . we had 24 spots available when we opened the referral portal on the Monday and we had to close it the very next week because we had something

ridiculous like 68 referrals!” said Rob.

“So we are now running a Cert II – for those who have the capability and capacity to get through a Cert II – and we are also working with the more severely at-risk and disengaged 15 to 17-year-olds, and we are putting them through a Cert I.”

Of those that took the first Cert II course, employment outcomes included two who have gone into tyre fitting, one who has gone to work at a car wrecker, and another who has secured an auto-electrical apprenticeship.

That young person is Kaniqua Miskin, who is now a few weeks into that apprenticeship with Cairns Customs and Car Sound in Bungalow.

The 16-year-old has slotted in very well at the workshop, with Kristen Ziebell, who owns the business together with husband Waz, saying that Kaniqua is passionate about learning and getting stuck into the work.

“Generally, before we put an apprentice on, we like to make sure that we're the

right fit for them, and our workshop is going to give them what they want out of the apprenticeship,” said Kristen.

“. . . Kaniqua came in for three weeks of work experience –one day a week – and then came in for a full week, just so we could give her a feel of what a full week of work looks like in terms of hours, the pace and the fact that every day is different.

“ . . . and she did really well. She was very enthusiastic, very keen, writing more notes than most people we've seen who are 3 to 4 months into their apprenticeship!

“She was doing all the right things . . . and that's when we said, ‘Do you want to have an apprenticeship?’”

Kaniqua Miskin completed the Certificate II course run by Fresh Start Academy and the MTA Institute and has now started an auto electrical apprenticeship with Cairns Customs and Car Sound.

Taking on an apprenticeship at Cairns Customs means Kaniqua will get the chance to learn even more than what is necessary for her to gain her auto electrical trade. Kristen and Waz also own ADAS Calibration Centre Cairns, and Kristen said that Kaniqua will, as she progresses, learn to do fault-finding, diagnoses and other skills related to ADAS systems.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for Kaniqua, and one she is grasping with both hands.

“I've always been interested in automotive . . . and feel like I've found what I wanted to do in life,” she said. “And I’m happy that I'm with Cairns Customs. It's like I've got my life on track.”

“I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN AUTOMOTIVE . . . AND FEEL LIKE I'VE FOUND WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN LIFE. AND I’M HAPPY THAT I'M WITH CAIRNS CUSTOMS. IT'S LIKE I'VE GOT MY LIFE ON TRACK.”

themselves - that's what I liked about the program,” she said. “It wasn't just people being put there. They were there because they wanted to be there.”

For Kaniqua, the Cert II training and the apprenticeship with Cairns Customs represents more than a career path; it is a second chance at education.

She is very appreciative of the opportunities that have helped her reach this point - not only securing an apprenticeship, but also being able to complete the Certificate II course, a program she says she thoroughly enjoyed and found genuinely motivating.

“I feel like everyone was there for

Having struggled in a traditional school environment, the hands-on nature of the work - plus the knowledge that her interest in cars will lead to a trade qualificationmotivated her to succeed.

“I didn’t do school - I dropped out at a young grade, around Year 8 - so this is kind of like the education that I missed,” she said. “And I get excited because I'm not wasting my childhood . . . now, by the time I'm 20, I’ll be qualified!”

The Certificate II – and subsequent automotive training programs delivered with Fresh Start Academy in Cairns – was overseen by Antony Joslin, MTA Institute’s lead trainer in FNQ.

The course saw students get a mix of theory and practical work in a classroom and then get immersed in a workshop environment. It’s a system, Anthony said, that really worked in keeping the students interested and excited about learning.

“They get used to coming in, sitting down and doing some theory; then looking at starter motors and all the other things we do in a training session; and then, the next day, they are in a workshop all day long. And it is really working,” he said.

And to be able to teach, support and guide young people who have not had the easiest of starts in life is, he said, incredibly rewarding.

“To be able to make a difference in someone’s life is what I love about my job.

And with these students, you can REALLY make a difference . . . they have come from community housing, from broken families and are into full-time work building a passion and believing in themselves.”

The partnership between Fresh Start Academy and the MTA Institute is giving young people the confidence, skills and direction needed to step into meaningful automotive careers. For industry, the partnership represents a practical, community-driven solution to ongoing skills shortages.

For MTA Queensland and the Institute, the relationship is a natural fit with a commitment to helping the automotive industry attract, develop and retain the next generation of technicians. Initiatives like this complement the Associations’ broader workforce strategy, which focuses on supporting businesses and ensuring young people see automotive as a viable, rewarding career path.

MTA QUEENSLAND & CAPRICORN SHOWCASE AUTOMOTIVE CAREERS ON THE SUNSHINE COAST

MTA QUEENSLAND AND Capricorn launched the first of their 2026

Automotive Gateway to Industry Schools Careers Showcase at the beginning of February, bringing students, parents and jobseekers together with automotive employers at an event held at the Aussie World theme park on the Sunshine Coast. Delivered through a partnership between MTA Queensland and Capricorn, and supported by the Queensland Government, the careers events showcase the industry and give young people the opportunity to speak directly with employers, ask practical questions about apprenticeships and training, and gain a realistic understanding of what working in the automotive industry looks like day to day.

By engaging face-to-face with industry, students can see the breadth of roles available - from technicians and parts

BY ENGAGING FACE-TO-FACE WITH INDUSTRY, STUDENTS CAN SEE THE BREADTH OF ROLES AVAILABLE — FROM TECHNICIANS AND PARTS SPECIALISTS TO SERVICE ADVISORS AND BUSINESS OWNERS . . .

specialists to service advisors and business owners - while for the businesses that attend the showcase, it gives them a chance to promote the industry, their sector, and their business. In an era in which the industry is evolving rapidly and the skills shortage continues to bite, these careers events play a critical role for those looking for staff and those interested in an automotive career but are unsure of what steps to take.

THE STRONG TURNOUT AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE SUNSHINE COAST SHOWCASE REINFORCED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO DELIVER THESE EVENTS ACROSS QUEENSLAND.

The Gateway to Industry Schools Program is a Queensland Government initiative designed to strengthen partnerships between schools and industry, helping students gain a clearer understanding of career pathways while giving employers the chance to engage early with potential future employees. The program supports work experience, school-based apprenticeships and industry exposure, helping young people make informed decisions about careers in the trade.

The strong turnout and positive feedback from the Sunshine Coast showcase reinforced the importance of continuing to deliver these events across Queensland. Both MTA Queensland and Capricorn are committed to hosting more such events with the next few to held in Hervey Bay, Roma and Toowoomba.

• This Gateway to Industry Schools Program is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.

At MTA Queensland, our Industry Initiatives Team works alongside automotive businesses across Queensland to help them grow, diversify, and future-proof their workforce.

Whether you’re looking for entry-level staff, eager new apprentices, or to establish longterm workforce planning in your organisation, we deliver tailored, practical solutions to help your business thrive – and ensure the industry stays competitive, diverse, and future-ready.

Providing tailored solutions to small and medium employers, helping to address challenges, diversify their workforce, and support productivity growth.

Collaborating with Industry and Government to create sustainable career pathways into the automotive industry.

Promoting automotive careers to young people and job seekers through events, engagement programs, and hands-on industry experiences.

MAHINDRA PARTNERS WITH MTA QUEENSLAND ON FIRST NATIONAL SALES TRAINING PROGRAM

MTA QUEENSLAND AND the MTA Institute have partnered with Mahindra Automotive Australia to deliver training to the brand’s dealership salespeople following the recent Australian launch of the Model Year 26 Scorpio. This marks the first collaboration of its kind between the organisations.

The two-day course, held at the RACQ Mobility Centre at Mt Cotton, south of Brisbane, brought together around 20 salespeople from across the country for intensive, hands-on training focused on the Scorpio’s new technology and realworld performance.

Delivered and developed in part by MTA Institute Technical Learning & Development Officer Nigel Palmer, the program placed a strong emphasis on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), alongside broader vehicle fundamentals such as suspension design, towing capability and off-road performance. Participants were able to

THE TWO-DAY COURSE . . . BROUGHT TOGETHER AROUND 20 MAHINDRA DEALERSHIP SALESPEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR INTENSIVE, HANDS-ON TRAINING FOCUSED ON THE SCORPIO’S NEW TECHNOLOGY AND REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE.

test these systems at the Mobility Centre’s purpose-built facilities, including its daunting 4WD course.

Of the training course, Nigel said that it was structured to suit its audience.

“The theory component needed to be brief to allow for the practical drive component,” he explained. “So, we kept the classroom time to a minimum but highlighted the new features incorporated in the new model.”

The training reflected the sophistication and technical strength of the Scorpio and also highlighted the ability of MTA Queensland - and its Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the MTA Institute - to deliver tailored training solutions for manufacturers alongside its traditional technical and apprenticeship programs.

With the new Scorpio (see page 87 for more on that model) now featuring a comprehensive suite of ADAS technologies and features, both organisations recognised the need for salespeople to fully understand what the model can do – which is why the training program was built around not only giving the team the classroom fundamentals, but in putting

them behind the wheel and into scenarios where they could see the systems working.

For Mahindra Automotive Australia, the training is key to its engagement strategy following the launch of the MY26 Scorpio, and National Marketing Manager James Halliwell said the partnership with MTA Queensland had been in development for some time.

“We are a Brisbane-based business like MTA Queensland and we’d been looking for an RTO that we can partner with to deliver training across our sales and our sales teams,” he said.

“This is the first cab off the rank, so to speak, to deliver sales training to our network and so we’ve got our dealers here from across the country to experience the

The Scorpio now has Level 2 ADAS and remains a very capable vehicle off-road.

new Model Year 2026 Scorpio with ADAS and a refresher on our 3X0 and 700 vehicles.”

Mahindra currently has more than 70 dealers nationally, making staff training a critical investment.

“We do training all the time,” said James. “Last year, in June, we did 3X0 training prior to the launch of that vehicle in July. For this vehicle [the Scorpio], the launch was in December/January. People were on a Christmas break, so it was a little bit hard to get the training done before Christmas. So here we are, in early February, getting straight into it.”

The collaboration between MTA Queensland and Mahindra had, said Nigel, delivered what both parties were hoping for.

“Everyone appeared to enjoy the training,” he said. “Participants gained knowledge of the systems, were exposed to the systems and their operation, and I am looking forward to working with Mahindra on future projects.

“We are working to build a stronger relationship with Mahindra in both the sales and technical area . . . and we are working closely with the aftersales team on upskilling their dealer technicians in the future.”

Mahindra Australia does have some exciting times ahead, not least as it pushes the very capable new Scorpio into the local market.

“It's the number one-selling vehicle for us in India. And, to see where the vehicle is now, and what's coming for the future - it's pretty exciting,” said James.

For MTA Queensland, the Mahindra program highlights its capacity to support OEMs beyond its traditional training scope, and as vehicles continue to evolve, partnerships like this one offer a model for how industry organisations and manufacturers can work together.

MAHINDRA UPGRADES MY26 SCORPIO WITH LEVEL 2 ADAS FOR AUSTRALIA

MAHINDRA AUTOMOTIVE

AUSTRALIA has confirmed the introduction of Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for the MY26 Scorpio.

The new safety technology features include Autonomous Emergency Braking with vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection; Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go; Front Vehicle Start Alert; Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist; Smart Pilot Assist for steering, acceleration and braking support; Traffic Sign Recognition; Forward Collision Warning; and High Beam Assist.

At the top of the range sits the MY26 Scorpio Z8L+. Power comes from a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 129kW and 400Nm, paired with a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission, rear mechanical differential lock and Mahindra’s 4XPLOR intelligent four-wheeldrive system with selectable terrain modes.

The flagship Z8L+ also adds ventilated front seats, electric park brake with auto hold, auto-dimming interior mirror, sunroof and rich coffee black leatherette upholstery. Technology highlights include an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control and a 7-inch digital driver display.

Safety is further supported by Bosch Gen 9.3 ESP with trailer sway mitigation, rollover mitigation, hill hold and hill descent control, while exterior updates

include LED headlamps, LED tail-lamps and 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.

Priced at $48,990 drive-away (excluding metallic paint), the MY26 Scorpio Z8L+ is backed by Mahindra’s sevenyear/150,000km warranty and seven years of roadside assistance (terms and conditions apply).

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KELVIN MILLAR INDUSTRY WORKFORCE ADVISOR

HAVE YOU ASKED YOUR APPRENTICE?

IN MY TRAVELS,

talking to businesses across the state, I have identified a common theme: “We can’t keep staff” or “Our apprentice has quit and isn’t going to stay in the industry.”

Attracting staff is difficult; retaining them can be equally so. In the field, business owners consistently tell me they struggle to retain apprentices due to, among other things, low pay. Whilst I’m sure this plays a part in an apprentice’s decision to move on; other key factors are just as important. For instance, apprenticeships literature highlights that a clear line of sight for an apprentice to a future job and career is a key driver for retaining apprentices. A recent survey suggests that apprentices value other things as well that may surprise workshop managers and business owners. Below are some of the main points from the survey.

• Culture, supervision and fair management matter to apprentices.

• Apprentices stay when they see progress, have access to mentoring and have a visible career path.

• Apprentices leave when there is poor workplace culture, low-quality training, unrealistic expectations of overtime, and not being taken seriously when raising concerns. When is the critical time for an apprentice?

• Apprentice cancellation rates are highest in the second year.

• Apprentices’ value engaging training, varied and challenging work and opportunities in emerging technologies.

HAVING A DETAILED WORKFORCE PLAN IS A GREAT WAY TO TRACK CONVERSATIONS, OUTLINE CAREER PATHS, AND GIVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE YOUR BUSINESS WILL BE IN 1, 3, AND 5 YEARS.

Not every business can offer all the above, but starting with a conversation with your apprentice, asking what motivates them, and how they perceive their current workplace, could be a great way to assist you with your retention strategy, and gain ideas on how to improve how you operate. Having a detailed workforce plan is a great way to track conversations, outline career paths, and give a snapshot of where your business will be in 1, 3, and 5 years.

If you would like to discuss this further or receive more information on building a workforce plan to enhance your business, please reach out.

• This project is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.

MTA INSTITUTE TRAINER CONFERENCE STRENGTHENS SKILLS, CONNECTIONS AND CAPABILITY

AS THE LARGEST independent provider of automotive apprenticeships and training in Queensland, the MTA Institute has some 50 trainers delivering training programs to more than 2500 students across the state.

Offering leading-edge training requires that the Institute employ experienced, knowledgeable trainers and offer professional development opportunities to ensure those trainers remain the very best in the business. It’s a core priority of the Institute, and it does this by holding conferences twice a year, bringing together the trainers from across the state for up to three days of learning, collaboration and recognition.

Marcello Riotto, Director of the MTA Institute, said the Trainers’ conferences plays a critical role in maintaining the Institute’s

“BY INVESTING IN OUR TRAINERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE’RE ENSURING THEY REMAIN CONFIDENT, CAPABLE AND CURRENT — WHICH ULTIMATELY TRANSLATES INTO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR APPRENTICES, EMPLOYERS AND THE WIDER AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.”

high standards across Queensland.

“Our trainers conference is fundamental to keeping our people at the top of their game,” he said. “It gives us the opportunity to step back from day-to-day delivery, share knowledge, and ensure our trainers

are fully aligned with the latest industry developments, training standards and emerging technologies. By investing in our trainers’ professional development, we’re ensuring they remain confident, capable and current - which ultimately translates into better outcomes for apprentices, employers and the wider automotive industry.”

The most recent trainers' conference was held in December and featured a comprehensive agenda reflecting both the fast-evolving automotive landscape and the broader organisational priorities of MTA Queensland.

Sessions included updates from the Marcello as well as from Rod Camm, MTA Queensland CEO, alongside presentations from other administrative departments, plus the team running projects and initiatives as the Industry Skills and Jobs Advisor program, the Gateway to Industry Schools pogram, and other workforce solutions and training programs.

Trainer wellbeing was also a focus, with an Employee Assistance Program session centred on men’s mental health, while CareSuper delivered insights relevant to staff and apprentices alike.

From a training and delivery perspective, the conference covered a wide range of practical and strategic topics, including administration updates, assessment strategies and trainer onboarding, trade recognition processes, student profiling, assessment tool reviews, and the rollout of professional development platforms. Industry-specific professional development sessions were delivered in partnership with Hyundai and ZF, alongside presentations on fleet maintenance, MotorTech systems, business development surveys, 3D training aids, scan tool deployment and updates to AUR20 training packages.

Marcello said that while the conference did focus on professional development, building a stronger organisation through networking and connection was equally important.

“The conference is part of the robust organisational culture we encourage. It allows everyone to share insights and experiences, strengthens relationships and is proof of our commitment to promoting a supportive workplace that benefits both staff and learners alike.”

TRAINER OF THE YEAR

A highlight of the December conference is the presentation of the MTA Institute Trainer of the Year Award, recognising excellence and dedication among the Institute’s training team. The 2025 Trainer of the Year was presented to Colin Crichton. Based in Mackay and servicing an area that stretches from St Lawrence, south of Mackay, through to Hamilton Island, Colin delivers training primarily in

light vehicle but also covers automotive air conditioning, parts interpreting, underbody and tyre-fitting. He currently supports around 70 students and has been working with the MTA Institute for just over four years.

Now 46, Colin brings decades of experience to his role, having started his automotive career as a teenager at a Ford dealership in New Zealand before relocating to Australia. After working in Newcastle

“I DO TAKE MY JOB VERY SERIOUSLY AND I'D LIKE TO THINK I DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB, SO IT IS FANTASTIC TO BE RECOGNISED. I'M VERY PROUD AND INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR SUCH A GOOD COMPANY.”

and Bundaberg, where he completed his training, he settled in Mackay, spending around 15 years at a multi-franchise dealership there before shifting his career to automotive education. Moving to become a trainer was, he said, a natural shift as his career progressed to more senior positions in the workshop.

inexperienced they are, working with them, and then seeing how happy and how excited they are on the day they finish their apprenticeship.

“Seeing them starting out in the industry and then becoming a competent, quality tradesperson gives you that good, warm, fuzzy feeling that you've done a good job.”

Having trained many students over his time with the MTA Institute, and having been involved in the industry all his working life, Colin has plenty of good, simple advice for those looking to start a career in the industry themselves.

“What really drove me was enjoying the teaching side of things,” said Colin. “When I would come back from dealer training, I’d present what I’d learned to the rest of the staff and I really enjoyed that side of it.”

He added that helping to develop and guide the next generation of tradespeople made his work particularly rewarding.

“The most satisfying thing is meeting a young bloke or a young lady for the first time, seeing how nervous and

“The automotive industry offers so many opportunities and career pathways,” he said. “You can do an apprenticeship in spare parts interpreting and then transition from there into a light vehicle apprenticeship. Or you could do a light vehicle apprenticeship and then decide to transition to work on big stuff like mining machinery or trucks. There's just so many different pathways.

“The main thing is to not give up,” he added. “Just keep practicing, keep trying . . . keep having a crack, do your best and, in the end, you will succeed.

Reflecting on the moment he won the Trainer of the Year accolade - and of being presented with the award by Marcello

Rod Camm, MTA Queensland CEO, with Sharyn Dunbar, Member Services and Project Co-ordinator, who received the Individual Contributor Award.

- Colin said he was shocked to hear his name called out.

“I was very overwhelmed and very surprised,” he said. “Marcello announced it in front of everybody, and I literally can't remember what he said! I did not expect it!

“I do take my job very seriously and I'd like to think I do a pretty good job, so it is fantastic to be recognised. I'm very proud and incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work for such a good company.”

Naming a Trainer of the Year is always a tough job, and this year was no different.

The MTA Institute’s team are highly skilled educators and tradespeople and it’s a tough call every year to judge who should win. However, Colin was, said Marcello, a thoroughly deserving recipient, and the award reflected both his technical expertise and his genuine commitment to apprentices.

“Colin consistently goes above and beyond for his students,” he said. “He brings deep industry experience into his training but, just as importantly, he builds confidence, resilience and professionalism in the next generation of automotive tradespeople.

“The judging process is always extremely difficult because we have so many outstanding trainers who are deeply

Magda Gavriel was honoured with the Service Excellence Award

IN ADDITION TO THE TRAINER OF THE YEAR AWARD, THE DECEMBER CONFERENCE ALSO RECOGNISED OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MTA QUEENSLAND STAFF.

committed to their roles and to the success of their apprentices,” he added. “In Colin’s case, his dedication and adaptability, and the respect he has earned from apprentices, employers and colleagues alike truly stood out. He is an excellent example of the standard we strive for at the MTA Institute.”

RECOGNISING OUTSTANDING STAFF

In addition to the Trainer of the Year award, the December conference also recognised outstanding contributions from MTA Queensland staff. Sharyn Dunbar, Member Services and Project Co-ordinator, received the Individual Contributor Award for her exceptional work during 2024, while Magda Gavriel was honoured with the Service Excellence Award for her role as the first point of contact for members and her consistently high standard of administrative support.

MTAQ MEMBER SIGNAGE

Concept corner

NISSAN HAS LIFTED the curtain on its latest performance showcase, the Aura NISMO RS Concept, at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2026 - a striking high-performance hot hatch that blends electrified powertrain technology with motorsports-inspired design and engineering.

THE CONCEPT BUILDS UPON THE EXISTING AURA NISMO, BUT WITH A FAR MORE AGGRESSIVE PERFORMANCE BRIEF.

The concept builds upon the existing Aura NISMO, but with a far more aggressive performance brief. It adopts the X-Trail NISMO’s e-POWER powertrain - Nissan’s series-hybrid system in which a petrol engine acts solely as a generator - while electric motors drive the wheels. Power is distributed through

NISMO-tuned e-4ORCE all-wheel control technology, delivering enhanced traction and cornering stability.

Chassis and braking upgrades are designed to sharpen performance and control. A wide-body stance extends the fenders by 145 mm, while ride height is lowered by 20 mm to reduce the centre

NISSAN SAYS THE AURA NISMO RS CONCEPT MERGES MASS-PRODUCTION VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY WITH MOTORSPORT EXPERTISE

. . .

of gravity. High-grip tyres and recalibrated suspension are aimed at improving handling while braking is strengthened by four-pot front and two-pot rear opposed-piston calipers.

Aerodynamics play a key role in the new concept. A front spoiler, side skirts, airflow-optimised front fenders, side air

splitters, rear diffuser and dedicated rear wing - all accented with NISMO’s red detailing - are designed to increase downforce while reducing drag. A tastylooking exclusive Dark Matte NISMO Stealth Gray finishes the concept’s appearance.

Nissan says the Aura NISMO RS Concept merges mass-production vehicle technology with motorsport expertise and will undergo further refinement, including potential racing applications. Importantly, the company is also exploring the feasibility of bringing the concept to market as a future production performance model.