December issue out now

The Motor Trade Association (MTA) is calling on the new government to make changing policies around immigration and education some of its main priorities to help maintain a “well-functioning automotive industry”.

Lee Marshall, chief executive, says these two areas are at the top of the MTA’s wish list, but it also wants to work with the National-led coalition on tackling other issues across a range of portfolios.

Simeon Brown, the new Minister of Transport, has told Autofile there will be a review into the clean car standard next year and that he “will be seeking advice from officials on this in due course”. That’s after scrapping the clean car discount by December 31.

Dealers are facing extra costs on used imports that are likely to be passed onto consumers resulting in higher sticker prices. That’s the warning from the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) with Waka Kotahi introducing a new funding regime for regulatory fees and charges.

The MG4 has been voted the AA Driven Car Guide New Zealand Car of the Year for 2023. It’s the first time a battery electric vehicle has taken out the prestigious title after a panel of judges picked the best across 11 classes.

Convicted conman Raymond Anthony Andrews has been permanently banned from being a company director. Since being adjudicated bankrupt in 2008, he has been convicted of various offences. We first reported on Andrews’ crimes around two years ago after he was caught running a luxury-vehicle scam.

AutoFlip is coming to New Zealand after being launched in Australia almost three years ago. A franchise to start the automotive marketplace here has been bought by Patrick Davey and Ken Quigley, of Davey NZ. AutoFlip enables quick and easy trading by connecting private sellers and car businesses via an online platform.

Greig Epps, VIA’s chief executive, is Autofile’s guest editor for this issue. His outlook for 2024 is one of expectation, “not just for better consultation, but for true engagement through a dialogue that integrates industry insights into policy framework”. 

The MTA’s Larry Fallowfield, meanwhile, looks back on the changes and challenges that dominated 2023. “This year will be remembered for the government’s seemingly never-ending amendments that continued right up to the election,” he opines.

Todd Fuller, of AdTorque Edge NZ, explains how customised programs can collect and combine data from a multitude of sources and present it all in a unified structure. This makes it easy to get a full picture of marketing performance. 

• Brendon Hartley and his driving partners have won the World Endurance Championship drivers’ title for the second consecutive year.

• VIA’s Kit Wilkerson says an insufficient supply of EVs and PHEVs available to import into New Zealand will be an issue when it comes to the clean car standard.

• And Colonial Motor Company’s governance and disclosures to investors have been put in the spotlight by the New Zealand Shareholders’ Association.

• Plus: The Optimus Group has acquired a 51 per cent stake in Auto Trader, new cars, industry movers, disputes and in-depth statistics.

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