Federal and Victorian state politicians commended the AAAA as they visited AAAExpo

Federal Australian Labor Party (ALP) Minister, the Honourable Dr Andrew Leigh, who is also the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury and Assistant Minister for Employment, cut the ribbon to officially open the 2024 AAAExpo on Thursday the 11th of April.
“Independent mechanics are the lifeblood of so many vehicles,” Dr Leigh declared as he opened the Expo.
“We need a strong and thriving automotive service and repair sector in Australia to make sure that people have choice. They know that it is their car, and they can choose where they want to get it fixed.
“This Expo has all kinds of new technologies and innovations and underpinning it is a real passion and a sense that in Australia we have more choices about how and where to fix our cars, more opportunities to use those new technologies, and more chances to learn from each other.”
Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) Chief Executive Officer, Stuart Charity, described the Expo as one of the largest automotive aftermarket education and innovation exhibitions in the southern hemisphere with over 400 exhibitors displaying their products and around 11,000 trade visitors pre-registered.
Joining Dr Leigh and Stuart at the ribbon cutting were AAAA Chairman Wayne Bryant, Chair of Australian Automotive Products Manufacturers and Exporters Council (APMEC) Gino Ricciuti, and the Chief Executive Officer of Autocare Association USA, Bill Hanvey.
Later that day, Victorian ALP Minister, the Honourable Melissa Horne, the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, visited the Expo Electrified Zone to inspect the Auto Innovation Centre’s Ford Lightning F250 EV, which was funded by a grant from the Victorian Government.
“It is really good to be here to support the incredible work that the AAAA is doing and to be able to see the innovations that is occurring with this sort of vehicle,” Ms Horne said.
“I came and had a look at this (vehicle) a few months ago and have had such rich conversations with people who are working in the electric vehicle industry and without a doubt, this is the industry of the future and it’s really important for government to be able to come and see the innovations that the AIC is doing and also to be able to support it.
“While it is important for us to achieve our decarbonisation goals, without a doubt this (EV) is the big wave of the future, and it is something that the government stands beside the industry in to help them advance.”
The Expo Electrified Zone was one of the most popular exhibitions during this year’s Expo with many visitors taking part in training seminars and many more just visiting to catch a glimpse of the future of the industry.

To learn more about AAAExpo, visit www.autoaftermarketexpo.com.au