‘Relevant’ insights for dealers
New Zealand dealers have one day left to make the most of early-bird pricing for the 2026 Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) Convention and Expo.
The event in Sydney from July 29-30 is an opportunity for Kiwi businesses to benchmark against a larger neighbouring market, hear from Australian and international speakers, meet suppliers, and explore how other dealers are responding to similar commercial pressures.
It is being held at the International Convention Centre Sydney and Kiwi dealers attending the annual event are eligible for the same registration prices as AADA dealer members.
Registration is open at aadaconvention.com.au and early-bird pricing ends on Friday, May 29.
Organisers say the AADA 2026 programme has plenty of relevance for New Zealand delegates as it will tackle issues that resonate with the industry on both sides of the ditch.
The schedule for the main stage includes a session on the new car sales market, featuring Damon Rielly and Paul Maric from CarExpert, that will explore how dealers can thrive in a high-tech, low-margin environment shaped by factors such as new brands, electrification and more informed consumers.
The event also features a panel examining why used vehicles have become an important opportunity in dealership retail, with the session set to focus on margin, stock turnover and cashflow.
Other topics to be covered on the main stage over the two days include the value of customer retention, why after-sales is critical to dealership stability, dealership marketing and the role of artificial intelligence in handling leads.
AADA 2026 will also feature insights from overseas markets and broader discussions on global challenges such as EV growth, Chinese brands and consumer choice.
Patrick Tessier, pictured below, convention director, says: “We have built a very relevant programme and this year it covers the whole dealership operation, new cars, used cars, parts, service, F&I and aftermarket so all the customer-centric touchpoints are covered.
“As for the workshop programme, that is all about education and put on by companies that operate in the Australia and New Zealand markets.”
The AADA 2026 workshop series has been designed around the operational and commercial issues dealers face in their businesses.
Over the two days, delegates will be able to choose from concurrent workshops covering AI readiness, cybersecurity, fixed operations, marketing return on investment, customer experience, used EVs, dealership profitability and more.
The AADA Pentana Solutions Live Stage Series is returning to the expo floor with a programme of short presentations designed to be easy for delegates to access between meetings, exhibitor visits and networking.
Sessions will cover finance penetration, regulatory change, customer mobility, crash intelligence, service operations, communications, AI, security, insurance quoting, transport visibility and business partnerships.
A new AADA business series, delivered in partnership with two leading Australian automotive law firms, will also focus on legal and regulatory issues.
Organisers say the series offers a useful comparison for New Zealand delegates on matters that have trans-Tasman relevance, including dealership consolidation, consumer guarantees, misleading conduct, dealer liability and the changing relationship between dealers, manufacturers and customers.
Find out more
To view details of the workshop series, visit: https://aadaconvention.com.au/aada_workshops/
To view details of the AADA Pentana Solutions Live Stage Series, visit: https://aadaconvention.com.au/aada-live-stage/
To register for AADA 2026, visit: https://aadaconvention.com.au/register-for-aada-2026/
