RAC’s first-ever electric roadside assistance van has arrived on Perth streets,
Former Peet chief executive Brendan Gore has been appointed as one of three new directors on the board of RACWA Holdings, the parent company of the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC). These appointments come as the organization prepares to make another attempt to divest its insurance business.
On December 15, 2025, Gore joined the board alongside Alison Terry, a director with experience in various companies including Matrix Composites & Engineering and Bannerman Energy. Adding to this leadership reshuffle, former Western Power chief executive Guy Chalkley was appointed on Boxing Day. The board’s membership now stands at nine, following the departure of Dalton Gooding in November after a remarkable 24-year tenure and Yasmin Broughton, who left in June.
RACWA serves as the holding entity for the member-owned RAC, which operates as the largest home and car insurer in Western Australia while also managing a portfolio that includes parks, resorts, and retirement homes.
Last May, the RAC announced plans to sell its insurance division to Insurance Australia Group (IAG) for $1.35 billion. However, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) intervened in December, blocking the sale due to concerns it would significantly reduce competition in the state’s home and motor insurance markets, potentially leading to higher premiums for consumers.
In light of the ACCC’s decision, IAG, with the RAC’s backing, is set to submit a new application to the regulator. This appeal will be made under a revised mergers regime that took effect on January 1, 2026. The new guidelines allow the ACCC to approve transactions previously deemed anti-competitive if the public benefits outweigh the negative impacts on market competition. The RAC has indicated that the application will be lodged in the coming weeks.
While details regarding the use of funds from a potential sale remain undisclosed, the RAC has expressed interest in exploring new opportunities in the tourism sector and is considering investments in car wash operations. This strategic pivot could signify a broader shift in the organization’s focus, aiming to diversify its revenue streams amid ongoing regulatory challenges in the insurance market.
