About

MTAA is the peak national representative organisation for the retail, service and repair sector of the Australian automotive industry. The Association represents the interests, at the national level, of over 100,000 retail motor trade businesses with a combined turnover of over $160 billion and which employ over 308,000 people. MTAA is therefore the largest ‘stand-alone’ small business association in Australia. The Association is a federation of the various state and territory motor trades associations, as well as the Service Station Association Ltd (SSA) and the Australian Automobile Dealers Association. Members of the MTAA Federation include:

  • The Australian Automobile Dealers Association (AADA)

  • The Motor Trades Association of the ACT (MTA ACT)  

  • The Motor Trades Association of the Northern Territory (MTA NT)

  • The Motor Trade Association of South Australia (MTA SA)

  • The Motor Trade Association of Western Australia (MTA WA)

  • The Service Station Association Limited (SSA Ltd)

MTAA also has a number of Affiliated Trade Associations (ATAs), which represent particular sub-sectors of the retail motor trades, ranging from motor vehicle body repair to automotive parts recycling. Those ATAs are as follows:

  • Australian Motor Body Repairers Association (AMBRA)

  • Australian Motorcycle Industry Association (AMIA)

  • Australian National Radiator Repairers Association (ANRRA)

  • Australian National Towing Association (ANTA)

  • Australian Service Station and Convenience Store Association (ASSCSA)

  • Australian Tyre Dealers and Retreaders Association (ATDRA)

  • Auto Parts Recyclers Association of Australia (APRAA)

  • Automotive Repairers Association of Australia (ARAA)

  • Automotive Transmission Association of Australia (ATAA)

  • Engine Reconditioners Association of Australia (ERA of A)

  • Farm and Industrial Machinery Dealers Association of Australia (FIMDAA)

  • National Brake Specialists Association (NBSA)

  • National Heavy Vehicle Repairers Association (NHVRA)

  • National Rental Vehicle Association (NRVA)

  • National Steering and Suspension Association (NSSA)

  • National Vehicle Airconditioning Association (NVAA)

All of the ATA’s listed above are composed of the relevant sections of each of the MTAA Member bodies and are represented, at a national level, by MTAA.

The Association’s affairs are directed by a Board on which each of MTAA’s Member bodies is represented. The role of the Association is to:

  • raise awareness in the community of the retail motor trades’ significant contribution to the Australian economy (the trades have a turnover of over $160 billion and employ over 308,000 people);

  • convey and promote to governments the interests of the retail motor trades;

  • promote improved working relationships and practices with the motor trades’ unions;

  • on behalf of the Members of the Association, provide information about the trades to governments, the public and the trades’ employees;

  • work with governments to plan the future of the retail motor trades and their role in the economy and other areas of national planning;

  • extensively enhance training and to develop work opportunities within the trades in co-operation with education and training authorities, the unions and government generally; and

  • promote and enhance the reputation of the trades with its customers and the general public.

The range and depth of the activities of the membership of the Association can be seen from the following list of recognised trades, skills and tasks in the retail, service and repair sector of the automotive industry:

  • Air-conditioning Technicians

  • Auto Electricians

  • Automotive Accessory Retailers

  • Automotive Dismantlers/Parts Recyclers

  • Automotive Engineers

  • Automotive Glass Fitters

  • Automotive Parts Cataloguers

  • Automotive Radio and Stereo Specialists

  • Automotive Service Managers

  • Automotive Trimmers

  • Automotive Upholsterers

  • Automotive Transmission Specialists

  • Battery Makers and Reconditioners

  • Body Builders

  • Brake Specialists

  • Car Alarm Fitters

  • Caravan Dealers

  • Car Dealers

  • Car Salespeople

  • Car Wash Operators

  • Chassis Builders and Repairers

  • Commercial Vehicle Body Fabricators

  • Detailers

  • Diesel Engineers

  • Diesel Injection Technicians Dynamometer Operators

  • Engine Fitters

  • Engine Performance Specialists

  • Engine Reconditioners

  • Exhaust System Specialists

  • Farm Machinery Dealers

  • Fuel Injection Specialists

  • Gas Fitters

  • Hire and Rental Vehicle Operators

  • Marine Automotive Engineers

  • Motor Boat and Marine Dealers

  • Motorcycle Dealers

  • Motorcycle Mechanics

  • Motor Mechanics

  • Panel Beaters

  • Petrol Pump Attendants

  • Radiator Repairers

  • Spray Painters

  • Tow Bar and Trailer Fitters

  • Tow Truck Operators

  • Truck Builders and Operators

  • Tuning Specialists

  • Tyre Fitters

  • Tyre Retreaders

  • Wheel Alignment Specialists

Top of page