The AMWU has welcomed the Federal Government’s historic $15 billion investment in jobs, announced in Sunday's carbon price package.
AMWU National Secretary Dave Oliver said the package would position Australian manufacturing for a strong future.
“It provides compensation for existing emissions-intensive industries and regions and creates a low emission and clean technology industry fund. This package is an important start as we transition to a low carbon economy.
“There is no future for manufacturing and no real job security for workers over the next decade if we don’t put a price on carbon and back it up with support for low emission technologies and energy efficiency solutions.
"The Government should be commended for investing in manufacturing and giving Australia the chance to win a fair share of the jobs that come with clean energy solutions.
“Also it’s time for industry to step up to the plate and make sure this investment delivers a manufacturing industry for the future.
“There is a $6 trillion global clean technology market that Australia can now access. From the manufacture of solar panels to wind turbines to hybrid vehicles and all the building materials and lighting systems that will feature in the move to a more energy efficient low carbon economy.“
Mr Oliver said it was incumbent on the Federal Government to ensure they were made in Australia.
“The manufacturing unions will be meeting with Government following the announcement today, to ensure measures are put in place so a “make it here” policy helps to ensure that we manufacture the solutions in Australia.
"As the carbon tax encourages industry to cut its emissions and become more energy efficient, we'll also see new technologies invented and the support mechanisms in place to see those new ideas commercialised in Australia.
“This fund and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation will enable innovations and manufacturing jobs to stay here and not head off overseas to China and India because their government supported them and ours couldn’t. A “make it here” policy will help that happen.”
Hundreds of manufacturers will benefit from the package announced today. Including large to medium firms:
Pacific Hydro (Victoria, WA, SA and NSW) is one of Australia’s leading clean tech businesses. Building wind farms and hydro-electric facilities in Australia and other parts of the world. Pacific Hydro will be major players in the coming jobs and investment boom with clean energy that will be stimulated further with the climate change package.
Hoffman Engineering (WA) is a family based fabrication and heavy engineering business that has been in traditional manufacturing for several decades. With the emergence of the climate change challenge the business is now a key player in cutting gears for the clean energy industry as well as manufacturing parts for such systems.
Toyota, Ford and Holden (Victoria, SA) and many of their more energy intensive automotive suppliers will have the opportunity to get some support from the Government’s climate change package for investment in new light components and getting their businesses more energy efficient.
Commercialisation Agencies (Nationwide) Australian universities will be able to access the new clean technology R&D fund the Government has established. The intellectual property they patent as a result of breakthrough technologies will be licensed to Australian manufacturers to make here.
Examples of smaller firms setting up and preparing for commercialisation of their innovations:
AquaGen (Victoria) has developed ground-breaking new technology for harnessing the energy of the ocean’s waves to produce electricity or desalinated water. It has manufactured and installed a demonstration of the first pilot version of the patented SurgeDrive® system on Lorne Pier in Victoria.
Planet Innovation (Victoria) has developed a hot water system with significantly increased efficiency through the use of solar heated air to assist in heating the water. This invention has a much lower carbon footprint than existing hot water systems, with a demonstrated reduction in energy use of up to 50%.
Active Reactor Company (Victoria) has designed an electronic device that continuously controls the power supplied to High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps - typically used for street and major road lighting. They provide energy savings of 15% to 25% and a significant increase in lamp life.