Have your say on manifesto
An industry organisation is looking for feedback from its members on its draft manifesto of policies.
The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) is drawing up the document to set its path for the future.
It’s also proposing to establish a code of conduct, which the government will soon require from lobby groups.
A draft document covering the association’s statement of purpose, fundamental principles, guide on government policy recommendations, code of conduct and summary of policies has been provided to members.
Before being adopted, VIA is looking for feedback on these and it is hoped they may be ratified at its annual meeting.
David Vinsen, chief executive, says the premise for the work is to ensure an orderly transition from him to his successor and, more generally, looking forward by agreeing VIA’s policy manifesto and policies in writing.
“These include believing in free-market principles, having competition, and opposing government intervention when it’s unnecessary and counterproductive, and which often results in unexpected and unwanted consequences,” Vinsen told Autofile.
A webinar with VIA’s members was held on April 11 when the principles and various policies were discussed.
“They are being developed to refer to when developing VIA’s policy positions on proposed legislation or changes,” says Vinsen. “They include the principle that the free market will sort it out and that the government, generally, needs to let industry and consumers get on with it.
“Our basic position is that we always need to defer the implementation of standards or regulations to ensure we have continued access to stock from Japan.
“Recently, we have been informing our decisions by taking a ‘realpolitik’ approach – asking what the reality of a certain situation is. An example of this is VIA’s decision not to oppose the clean-car programme.
“At the monthly meeting, we discussed and recorded what our values, principles and policies are. This is all still a work in progress, and we have sought feedback from our council and members.”
VIA’s draft statement of purpose states the association exists to be a “proactive and effective advocate” for the vehicle-importing industry.
“Through lobbying, co-ordination, education, representation, promotion and facilitation, VIA aims to advance the industry’s interests, position it for success, improve processes, share trends and lead in adapting to change,” it adds.
“Overall, VIA strives to foster the growth and success of the vehicle-importing industry in New Zealand's dynamic transport and business environment.”
Kit Wilkerson, VIA’s head of policy and strategy, says some of the policies and details in the manifesto are still under consideration for inclusion.
“The next step is to continue working on this project and getting it written up. We are expecting it to be ready to be ratified hopefully at our annual meeting in late May or June.
“It needs to be emphasised that we are still at the drafting stage. Feedback is still being sought and that can be emailed to kit@via.org.nz or people can call me.”
Draft priorities
VIA’s draft priorities in the document include lobbying on behalf of the industry to influence government policy, and co-ordinating industry responses to members’ concerns.
Then there’s educating members and industry on legislative requirements and positioning the industry as part of the solution to future transport needs.
Looking to the far future, it aims to identify potential threats to the industry and transport market, and then develop options and solutions before threats make an impact.
Representing the industry in discussions about issues outside transport that might affect it is another draft priority, as is portraying the industry in a positive light, co-ordinating the improvement of inefficiencies in its processes, and identifying and sharing trends. Others are:
• Facilitating data-sharing within the industry to create opportunity and identify inefficiencies, and facilitating networking in the sector.
• Leading the industry in preparing for and adapting to change.
VIA’s principles
These principles, when formally adopted after feedback is processed, will form the foundation on which the association’s actions and policies are built. In draft form, they cover:
• Balanced market: Markets should be allowed to evolve naturally.
• Competition: Markets should be fair, allowing all businesses to compete on an equal standing.
• Ownership: This reserves all rights to do with goods as the owner sees fit without regard to other parties, including manufacturers or previous owners.
• Good corporate citizenship: Essentially, VIA should continue to “do the right thing”.
Government policy
VIA’s draft document includes a guide on government policy recommendations and expectations for such policies to be good.
One aim is for government policy to be “net beneficial” in that it should benefit New Zealanders. It should also be pragmatic – that’s to say, sensible and realistic in a way that’s based on practical, rather than theoretical, considerations.
For instance, in most cases “business as usual” will see new safety innovations introduced without the need for intervention and, therefore, without resulting side effects. The only thing government intervention does is bring the timeline forward.
As for being effective, government policy should be sensible and realistic in a way that’s based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
It also needs to be authentic, be evidence-driven and logically granular. For example, age is often used as a proxy for safety and efficiency, but why use the proxy when actual safety and efficiency specifications are known?
Programmes should also be equitable and available to all economic segments of society.
Code of conduct
VIA’s draft code of conduct aims to set expectations for good government policy. It covers values such as transparency, integrity, compliance with laws and regulations, fairness and equity, professionalism, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, respect for the democratic process and accountability.
