The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has welcomed the Keneally Government’s commitment to fund the Hunter Cleantech Innovation Taskforce – an initiative aiming to transform the emission-intensive region into a clean technology hub.
Minister for the Hunter and Member for Newcastle Jodi McKay today announced funding for a high level industry cluster manager to work with industry to implement a range of measures to boost clean technology manufacturing.
The funding commitment is a welcome contribution from the State Government towards developing a clean technology industry capability in the region, said AMWU NSW Secretary Tim Ayres.
A Hunter Cleantech Innovation Taskforce will be established and will coordinate local industry knowhow, academic research, private sector investment and support from government agencies to help the region’s high-emissions industries reduce their carbon footprint and to kickstart innovative cleantech manufacturing projects.
“The Hunter has a lot to offer as Australia makes the inevitable transition to a carbon-restricted economy: a strong and diverse industrial capability, a highly skilled workforce and a strong track record in world-class manufacturing,” said Mr Ayres.
“The Hunter is also the energy capital of Australia, with huge coal, solar, wind and geo-thermal reserves. It is the ideal place to develop a workable model for transitioning to a low carbon economy in a way that protects and creates secure, skilled jobs; attracts investment and delivers tangible benefits to the environment.”
Establishing a Hunter Cleantech Innovation Taskforce is a key recommendation of the “Blueprint for a Low Carbon Future for the NSW Hunter Valley" report, developed by the AMWU, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and the University of Newcastle, in conjunction with local industry stakeholders.
Other recommendations of the report include: encouraging superannuation funds to invest in cleantech start-ups; supporting the development of an electric vehicle industry including a regional electric passenger vehicle pilot; and investigating opportunities for Hunter SMEs to engage in the Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) supply chain.
For a copy of the Blueprint for a Low Carbon Future for the NSW Hunter Valley, please click here