Federal election 2019: Labor pledges millions for electric vehicle industry growth
Key points:
- More than half of the $57-million fund would be used for a research and development initiative
- Labor has also pledged to introduce new safety standards for the installation of EV charging stations
- The party wants 50 per cent of all new cars sold in Australia to be electric by 2030
A Federal Labor government would spend millions of dollars trying to capitalise on growth in the electric vehicle industry, saying there must be “blue collar opportunities” in the fight against climate change.
It is part of Labor’s ambitious electric vehicle policy that aims for 50 per cent of all new cars sold in Australia to be electric by 2030.
More than half of the $57 million fund would be used for a research and development initiative to develop the industry, and the strategy would focus on creating electric vehicle design and manufacturing jobs in Australia.
Labor’s Innovation, Industry, Science and Research spokesman Kim Carr said he was determined to generate Australian jobs in the sector if elected.
“You’ve got to have government leadership to be able to take advantage of those new business opportunities that are emerging,” Senator Carr said.
“We’ve got to make sure that Australia is part of that.
We’ve got to make sure that there are blue collar opportunities in terms of meeting the challenges of climate change.”
The Coalition ridiculed Labor’s 50 per cent target and Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared the opposition had launched a “war on the weekend”, arguing the policy was unrealistic, out of touch and expensive.
Small and Family Business Minister Michaelia Cash later promised the Liberals would “save” the utes belonging to tradies.
Senator Carr admitted the cost of an electric vehicle, and the range available, was a concern for consumers, but Labor’s strategy would help to combat that.
“No doubt we can help develop the technologies that drive the cost of electric vehicles down,” Mr Carr said.
“They will come down in price.”
Labor would also introduce new safety standards for the installation of EV charging stations in homes and commercial buildings with revisions to the National Construction Code.
“The states and territories have failed to come together to ensure that we have proper safety standards for the use of charging facilities in new commercial buildings,” Mr Carr said.
“We need to be able to ensure that the new building standards are able to meet those where appropriate so that people can use this new equipment safely.”
Mr Carr said the multi-billion-dollar strategy would be paid for by Labor’s plan to “close tax loopholes”.
Source: abc.net.au
