MTA July 2023 SA

26
Neville with brothers
Ian and Daryl.
Automotive Stalwart
Looks Back on His Career
For Neville Gibb, the automotive
industry was something he was born
into. Embracing it with open arms,
the Jamestown born and bred local
ultimately helped shape its future
direction at the national level.
His meteoric rise yet politely spoken
nature reflect the MTA Life Member’s
career which has spanned more than
five decades and seen him appointed
to some of the industry’s highest
positions. This was all achieved
with one eye firmly remaining on his
local community where his passion
for automotive and his hobbies all
started and still continues to do this.
“It was just a given that if you
were in the automotive industry
you joined the South Australian
Automobile Chamber of Commerce
(the precursor to the Motor Trade
Association)” Neville explains.
“I joined my father’s business in
1977 and started attending the
Upper North MTA zone meetings
in the early 1980’s.”
From 1982 onwards Neville became
a Dealer Principal and helped oversee
its growth in a country town. After
attending more and more zone
meetings, he decided to put his
hand up for the MTA Board and
was elected in 1997.
From there the Jamestown local
was elected MTA Vice President in
2008 before serving as President
from 2011 to 2014 and Past
President from 2014 through to
2020. He was concurrently a Motor
Trades of Australia (MTAA) Board
Director from 2010 and was the
national peak body’s Chairman
from 2013 to 2023.
In the latter role, Neville brought
industry leaders, government and
decision makers together in Canberra
for the inaugural MTAA Automotive
Summit in 2015. With the impending
demise of vehicle manufacturing in
Australia, he assured officials that
automotive would continue to be a
robust and viable industry.
“Contrary to popular belief the
Australia automotive industry does
not end with the final closure of
vehicle manufacturing,” he remarked
during his Summit opening address.
“More than 340,000 Australians will
remain employed in businesses
keeping a fleet of more than 20
million vehicles moving, contributing
more than $38 billion to the national
economy.”
Throughout the Summit
business owners
and MTA
members from
across Australia
along with
Federal politicians
discussed and
planned the
future needs
of the industry
which continue
to be felt today.
State Opposition
Leader, Isobel
Redmond, with
Neville.
MTA MEMBER PROFILE
Looking back, his highlights locally
include the MTA receiving a South
Australian Training Award, hosting
the 2012 President’s Luncheon, the
development of the new workshop at
the MTA’s Training and Employment
Centre, purchasing the Cleve Training
Centre, presenting Life Memberships
to long-term board members Peter
Roberts and Frank Agostino and the
integration of the Northern Territory
into the MTA.
After a long and successful career,
his attention is never far away from
the trends and requirements of
tomorrow.
“Much of the MTA’s work is not
visible to members. This is the
lobbying of both Government,
Opposition and cross benches on
legislation that has impacts on their
business members,” Neville said.
“The auto industry has been forced
into rapid change due to worldwide
pressure for zero and low emission
vehicles. Electric vehicles might not
necessarily be the long-term solution
to this, with alternative fuels only still
to come especial in the heavy vehicle
sector. The MTA needs to have a
strong presence advocating a true
national unified stance on behalf of
the industry,” he concluded.
Neville’s extraordinary leadership,
counsel and guidance as well as his
business acumen and determined
manner have greatly assisted the
state and national organisations. On
behalf of the MTA, congratulations
on a successful career and thank
you for your dedication in helping
strengthen our industry.
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