AAAA Calls for Smarter Standards Reform – Warns Against ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Approach
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) has called on governments to deliver smarter, locally relevant standards reform, warning that simply “lifting and applying” international vehicle regulations could damage safety, limit choice, and stifle innovation in Australia.
In its submission to the Treasury’s consultation on Reforms to Improve Use and Recognition of Standards in Regulation, AAAA backs greater harmonisation between states and with trusted international benchmarks, but only where those standards suit Australia’s unique conditions.
AAAA Chief Executive Officer Stuart Charity said the industry’s successful campaign against the proposed adoption of UNECE’s Global Technical Regulation GTR 09 for Frontal Protection Systems proved the risks of uncritical adoption.
“At one point, it was proposed that GTR 09 be adopted in Australia without adaptation or consultation. The intention was to improve safety, but in reality, it would have ignored high-speed animal strikes, rural road conditions, and the need for essential safety equipment on vehicles in remote areas,” Mr Charity said.
“AAAA made the case that this overseas standard simply did not fit our conditions. The Minister ultimately agreed, and its adoption was stopped. That was the right decision, and a clear example of why early industry input matters.”
“Australia has world-class capability in designing and manufacturing automotive components, from bull bars to advanced safety systems. Our modifications are not about cosmetic changes, they are essential adaptations to make vehicles safe, compliant, and fit for purpose in Australian conditions. Any reform to standards must recognise and protect this capability.”
AAAA Director of Advocacy and Government Relations Lesley Yates said the bigger, ongoing challenge is the lack of national consistency in how standards are applied across states and territories.
“Our industry faces a patchwork of conflicting rules that increase costs, create confusion, and slow down innovation,” Ms Yates said.
“The bull bar and Frontal Protection System example is just one case. We need a truly national approach that works for our conditions, eliminates unjustified differences between states, and ensures businesses can operate confidently across borders. But harmonisation must be done carefully, it’s not about making things easier for regulators; it’s about making them work for Australians.”
The AAAA’s submission also recommends that governments embed early and ongoing industry consultation into all standards reform processes.
“Our members bring decades of real-world technical expertise,” Ms Yates said. “That expertise must be in the room from day one not as a post-decision feedback loop to avoid costly and unnecessary mistakes.”
The AAAA says the Treasury review is a welcome opportunity to fix long-standing inconsistencies in the automotive standards framework, but only if reforms are grounded in local needs and informed by those with hands-on experience.