| I note from our Journals that there was, in the very early years, a decisive dispute between Ford Motor Company and those dealers who sold its’ products – the issue was the contract that governed their arrangements to market that brand. The problems between motor dealers and the manufacturers have become even more intense and even more unfairly balanced in favour of big business [the manufacturer].
The same applies to service stations and the large oil companies and the same also applies to repairers and their dealings with insurance companies. But it is not only our industry, just look at the treatment producers receive from the major supermakets.
In NSW and indeed the Commonwealth we are yet to get a government that will legislate to ensure a proper measure of fairness and equity in dealings between mega corporations and small to medium businesses. Almost all small and medium businesses are being crushed in the never ending drive by large corporations to increase their bottom line profits.
In the late 80’s the Greiner Government won office with the support of small business following a campaign by Taxi Drivers. That Government quickly forgot who it was that put them in office and consequently were defeated at polls in 1994.
Why is it that Governments are constantly intimidated by Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, Insurance Companies and Oil Companies – these groups can command very few votes while the great majority of voters work in small businesses?
We hope that one day in the future at least one political party will realize the strength of small business – it will be MTA’s aim over the next decades to endeavor to drive this message home.
THIS IS OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE – If small business cannot win the battle then the prediction of the American economist Milton Freedman that society will degenerate into a system of corporate feudalism – we will become subservient to and servants of one of a number of large corporations that will own themselves.
What we will aim for in every area of our activity is progress.
In endeavouring to define progress the German philosopher Schiller said that “by eternally occupying himself with some fragment of the whole, man himself becomes a fragment”.
If we are to achieve progress we cannot be totally focused on our industry which is a fragment of the total economic and social fabric of the nation.
Over the past hundred years the MTA members have ensured the industry is immersed in their local communities. If we are to continue to progress this must not only continue but strengthen.
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