Strengthening Our Foundation: Why a Peak Body Matters Now More Than Ever

by Andrew Fielding, Boating Industry Association 5 May 22:34 PDT

Across Australia's marine sector - from boat builders and chandlers to marinas, brokers, retailers, service yards and training providers - there is a recurring question that surfaces every few years: What is the real value of a peak industry body?

With the BIA representing almost 700 organisations that employ 35,000 people and generate over $10.2 billion in annual turnover, it is a question worth answering. In a commercial environment where 75% of our members are small family businesses, every dollar spent must show a return.

Yet when you look closely at the forces shaping the marine industry today—regulation, workforce shortages, infrastructure access, safety standards, environmental expectations, and the rising complexity of doing business—the answer becomes clearer.

A strong, industry-owned peak body is not a "nice to have". It is the only mechanism that ensures the marine sector has a voice, a seat at the table and a coordinated strategy to protect and grow the industry's future.

The Hidden Work That Keeps the Industry Moving

Most of the value delivered by a peak body is invisible to the public and often even to the businesses that benefit from it. It happens in meetings with government departments, in submissions to regulators, in negotiations over waterway access, in the development of safety programs and in the quiet but essential work of maintaining industry standards.

This behind-the-scenes advocacy is what keeps the industry functioning smoothly. Without it, businesses would face:

• inconsistent or unclear regulations
• reduced access to waterways and infrastructure
• fragmented safety standards
• limited influence over government decisions
• higher compliance costs
• weaker consumer confidence
• less incentive to invest.

The marine industry is unique in that it operates at the intersection of tourism, recreation, manufacturing, transport, environmental management and public safety. No single business—no matter how large—can navigate that complexity alone. A peak body exists to do the heavy lifting on behalf of all.

Why Businesses Value a Peak Body

When marine businesses are asked what they value most, the answers tend to fall into five categories.

1. Advocacy that protects their ability to operate

Government decisions can change the operating environment overnight. Whether it's licensing, safety rules, environmental regulations, dredging schedules or infrastructure funding; the marine industry needs a unified voice to ensure decisions are practical, evidence-based and supportive of industry growth.

A peak body provides:

• representation in government consultations
• submissions on proposed regulations
• direct engagement with Ministers and senior officials
• long-term advocacy strategies that individual businesses cannot resource

This is not theoretical. It directly affects whether businesses can continue to operate efficiently and profitably.

2. Access to waterways and infrastructure

Waterways are the industry's lifeblood. Yet access is never guaranteed. Competing interests—environmental groups, developers, tourism operators, local residents, politics and multiple government agencies—can all influence decisions.

A peak body works to ensure:

• fair and ongoing access to waterways
• investment in ramps, pontoons, marinas and boating facilities
• balanced policy that supports both care for the environment and industry growth
• consistent rules across jurisdictions

Without coordinated advocacy, the risk is simple: access shrinks, red tape increases, costs rise and the industry loses ground.

3. Industry Standards that build trust

Consumers expect professionalism, safety and quality. Governments expect compliance. Workers expect safe workplaces.

Industry standards—whether in training, safety, environmental practice or customer service—are what hold the sector together. A peak body ensures these standards are developed, maintained and recognised.

This includes:

• safe people, safe vessels and safe waterways
• workforce training frameworks
• accreditation systems
• best-practice guidelines
• industry-wide codes of conduct

Standards are not bureaucracy. They are the foundation of trust that allows businesses to grow.

4. Workforce and skills development

The marine industry faces ongoing skills shortages. A peak body plays a critical role in:

• promoting marine careers
• supporting apprenticeships and training
• working with TAFEs and RTOs
• shaping national training packages
• attracting new entrants to the industry

No single business can influence the national skills system. A peak body can—and does.

5. Promotion of the industry to the public

Campaigns that promote boating, marine careers and industry capability benefit every business. They grow participation, attract talent and strengthen the industry's reputation.

This is long-term, strategic work that individual businesses cannot deliver alone.

Coordinated

What happens if there is no such organisation working behind the scenes to protect access, uphold standards and advocate for the sector?

The answer is simple: the industry becomes fragmented, vulnerable and reactive. Decisions get made about the industry, not with it. Standards slip. Access erodes. Compliance costs rise. Red tape increases. Workforce shortages deepen. Public confidence weakens.

The value is collective, not transactional

Some businesses measure value in direct benefits: discounts, resources, programs or services. Those are important but they are not the core value of a peak body.

The real value is collective.

It is structural.

It is long-term.

It is the assurance that someone is working every day to:

• protect the industry's rights
• secure its future
• uphold its standards
• promote its value
• strengthen its workforce
• maintain its access to waterways

This is not work that can be switched on and off. It requires continuity, hard-won credibility and industry unity.

A Strong Industry Needs a Strong Peak Body

Marine businesses succeed when the industry succeeds. And the industry succeeds when it has a strong, respected, coordinated industry-owned peak body working tirelessly behind the scenes. Without that coordinated effort, the industry's foundations weaken.

With it, the industry grows, strengthens and thrives.