AUGUST 18, 2022 – AMWU National Secretary Steve Murphy has called on the Albanese Government to establish a tripartite council of government, unions and industry to drive Australian uptake of electric vehicles (EVs).
Speaking at the inaugural National Electric Vehicles Summit on Friday, Murphy called for the establishment of a National Innovation Council for the EV sector. The Council would be "tasked with generating and co-ordinating the execution of a long-term plan for EVs in Australia, with a focus on industry policy, jobs, and skills and training", Murphy said.
"There can be no transition to electric vehicles without the workers in the sector."
"Our union represents thousands of workers who build, maintain and repair Australia’s vehicles," Murphy said. "Without the involvement, equally and respectfully, of these workers, their families and communities, there’s not going to be any EV revolution in Australia—nor anywhere else for that matter."
Murphy called on the Government to begin building Australia's sovereign capacity in green EV manufacturing as a way to "create hundreds of thousands of high-skilled, well-paid, secure jobs", help legacy mining and energy regions transition to green industries, and fight global heating.
"Our union supports an ambitious, worker-centred transition to EVs. But it won't be a just transition without a jobs transition," Murphy said. "We can have climate action and job creation. But ensuring the transition to EVs puts workers front and centre is what will make the difference between a green new deal and a green industrial complex."
Murphy also welcomed Energy Minister Chris Bowen's commitment to develop Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy, as well as the announcement of a Low Emission Vehicle target for the Commonwealth fleet of 75% of new leases and purchases by 2025.
Media contact: Alex McKinnon 0419 286 145