Senator Nick Xenophon, Senator Sterling Griff, MTAA CEO Richard Dudley, MTAA NSW CEO Stavros Yallouridis, VACC ED Geoff Gwilym, and VACC Research Manager Steve Bletos (author) today released a landmark report into the Australian Automotive industry titled ‘Directions in Australia’s automotive industry: An industry report 2017’. The official report’s release and associated media event were conducted at Anthony Costello’s Automotive Workshop in Fyshwick ACT with media in attendance. The report reaffirmed the need for the Australian Government to deliver on the recommendations of the 2015 Senate Inquiry. In particular, the report highlighted the need for a coordinated Government and Industry approach to policy development to meet the current and future challenges and opportunities of the Australian Automotive industry. The Senator was passionate in his presentation of the skills shortage facing the industry and critical of the lack of action by Government since the 2015 Senate Inquiry (as was the other presenters). Using evidence provided in the report, including: – the predicted shortage of 35000+ skilled automotive workers in 2018, – the lack of coordinated training/apprenticeship programs, – consumer inconvenience, – the threat to 370,000 Australian automotive jobs, and – the risk to the automotive industry’s $37.1 billion (2.2% of Australia’s GDP) annual contribution to the Australian economy, Senator Xenophon and the MTAA representatives stressed the need for action. Senator Xenophon’s key message was the need to create a Government sponsored automotive task force that includes Industry and Government representatives. This taskforce will ensure MTAA and State and Territory Associations get improved input into policy development and better assist MTAA members with rapid technological change, skills shortages and changing consumer demands. This will mean that the issues facing the automotive industry will be considered in more detail and will result in policies that better incorporate the needs of MTAA members. This event is proactive step to demonstrate to Government that it cannot take the automotive industry for granted and that MTAA is advocating meaningful measures to ensure the sustainability the Australian automotive industry.