The association’s proposal calls for a regulatory model based on business accountability, backed by government-issued industry-informed guidelines. Under this approach, the business licence holder would be responsible for ensuring each technician is appropriately qualified for the task they perform, as required under existing Workplace Health & Safety rules and Australian Consumer Law.

“It’s common sense,” said Stuart Charity, CEO of the AAAA. “Diagnosing a software fault or updating an EV’s control module is a world away from replacing a high-voltage battery but under the current proposal, they’re treated the same.”

The AAAA said its model offers a practical path forward that ensures safety, supports EV adoption and “avoids bringing the entire repair industry to a standstill”. It would be underpinned by guidelines that outline what skills are needed for each task, recognise various legitimate training pathways including OEM training and internal company programmes, and support flexible, evidence-based compliance.

If the government refuses to adopt the AAAA model, the association said it will call for urgent safeguards to avoid what it says will be a “catastrophic service gap”. The safeguards include:

The AAAA said it is urging the NSW Government to use the review period to engage with the industry and develop a modern, workable framework that promotes safety without sacrificing access to essential services.