United voice for industry

Many people in New Zealand’s automotive industry have been talking about two of its lead organisations signing an historic agreement to work more closely together.  The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) and Motor Industry Association (MIA) are now working within the terms of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), previously reported by Autofile Online. Now we look at the issue in more depth. In the past, the two organisations – with VIA representing used motor-vehicle imports and MIA being the association for the new vehicle sector – were often at loggerheads, but in more recent times they have often worked closely on certain issues. Now – with the MoU after been signed – the MIA and VIA have officially recorded the agreement reached on the working relationship between the two. The “precepts and principles” the VIA and MIA have agreed on include them recognising and respecting “the autonomy and individual characteristics of each other, the constituencies they represent and their governance and management procedures”. In the future, they are aiming to collaborate on areas of mutual interest in good faith “with the aim of presenting a united voice for the motor-vehicle industry”.  That said, the VIA and MIA will identify issues on which they have different policies or positions with each association retaining the right to advocate for its own position on such matters. There will also be a “no surprises” policy. This means policy decisions, announcements and advocacy action on contentious issues will be communicated with the other association in advance. Costs incurred should “lie where they fall”, which means each association will be responsible for its own costs. In the event of a joint undertaking that’s likely to incur significant costs in excess of usual operational costs, the financing of such an undertaking and the apportionment of costs will be agreed between the MIA and VIA in advance.   The VIA and MIA will consider co-opting other motor industry associations – such as the Motor Trade Association, Road Transport Forum and AA – as and when appropriate. The MIA and VIA cite examples of issues with common interest between the two organisations as intelligent transport, autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, development of standards for vehicles, infrastructure and related issues, Ports of Auckland, recall protocols and procedure, ACC vehicle risk-rating, statistics and media releases.