The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) is calling on the next federal government to action its manifesto to ensure continuity of employment for more than 380,000 people as motorists transition to a zero and low emission vehicle fleet.
VACC has called its federal election manifesto, Revolution: The automotive industry’s policy priorities for the next Australian Government.
It calls on the next federal government to implement 35 recommendations including:
- Boosting apprentice support
- Improving the eligibility for employers to sponsor skilled migrants
- Ensuring all automotive retailers are eligible for any future federal government subsidies related to pandemic or state of emergency relief payments
- Taking a leadership role in implementing a national Zero and Low Emission Vehicle (ZLEV) policy in collaboration with the automotive retail industry
- Increasing investment and research in an industry-led and federally funded national program aimed at the proper disposal of End-of-Life Vehicles.
“There’s more to do, of course, but if the next Australian Government gets these policies quickly into place it will shore up a $40 billion sector,” says VACC chief executive Geoff Gwilym.
He says the election manifesto will inform the government as it considers the implications of a changing automotive landscape – urban infrastructure, skill requirements and government revenue streams, all of which require forward planning and policy debate.
“Automotive employs 380,000 people nationally within 72,521 businesses, most of which are small and family-owned. The next Federal Government needs to take advantage of industry insight and resources as it lays out its policy intentions,” Gwilym says.
“The automotive industry is a fundamental component of a well-functioning economy, and it is at a critical juncture. With the emergence of ZLEVs and a long-standing skills shortage, industry and government must work together to keep Australia moving,” he says.
