Over the past 48 hours 8300+ employees including 555 apprentices at 185 franchised General Motors Holden dealers nationwide have been digesting the General Motors Holden GMH Detroit decision to cease production of right-hand cars and vacate the Australian and New Zealand new car market.
Many communities across Australia are also considering the implications and impact of a decision made half a world away - especially in regional and rural Australia where the dealers are prominent local businesses, a major employer and an important part of their respective communities through sponsorship, assistance and social welfare initiatives.
The Motor Trades Association of Australia’s (MTAA) state and territory Motor Trade Associations and Automobile Chamber of Commerce members have been reaching out to their Holden dealer constituents across Australia to gauge needs, concerns and impacts. MTAA has already discussed the decision and implications with the office of Federal Industry Minister Karen Andrews and will make further representations at a preplanned automotive industry roundtable Friday this week scheduled to discuss long awaited franchising reforms. MTAA will as part of its decade plus pursuit of these reforms continue to impress the need for car manufacturer franchisors to be held to account for product warranty service and repair obligations as key to addressing significant power imbalances in some manufacturer - dealer relationships.
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