The FCAI and member brands view the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 as having an overwhelmingly positive impact on the supply of motor vehicles into the Australian market, delivering improvements in safety and environmental outcomes, meeting buyer expectations and reduced motor vehicle theft; at the same time as contributing to a highly competitive market that delivers vehicles at internationally competitive prices.
The FCAI recognises that there is the opportunity to improve the Motor Vehicle Standards Act to better deliver on the Government’s policy objectives. Of the options outlined in the paper, the FCAI supports:
- The need to modernise and strengthen the legislation.
- Harmonisations with international standards (i.e. UN Regulations) where the case exists for a regulation and streamline the certification process to automatically accept type approvals to UN Regulations.
- Consolidating concession scheme arrangements and applying a risk based approach where higher risk schemes would require a more intensive certification, compliance and auditing regime.
The FCAI does not support any further reduction of barriers to personal importation of new and second-hand vehicles, as proposed in Option 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act Review Options Discussion Paper. There is no compelling public policy case for reducing the barriers to personal importation of new or used (grey) vehicles.
For more information on the FCAI position, see the FCAI submission and visit the 2014 Motor Vehicle Standards Act Review page
Download Appendix C – Pegasus Economics Report here
For information on the Motor Vehicle Standards Act Review, visit the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development website.