The ACTU welcomes today’s announcement by the Albanese Government to invest $500 million in supporting Australian clean energy jobs and manufacturing capability, with a particular focus on manufacturing wind towers and other components using Australian steel.
The funding will support the creation of secure, well-paid jobs in the manufacturing of components critical to the clean energy industry, including battery and storage technologies, wind tower steel fabrication, and electrification technologies.
Scaling the clean energy export industry in Australia could drive the creation of 100,000 new jobs by 2040.
The announcement under the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund will grow the number of manufacturing jobs from the Illawarra to the Hunter, strengthen Australia’s sovereign capacity, and deliver more cheap, clean renewable energy built right here at home.
The community benefit principles embedded in Future Made in Australia mean that the jobs created will be well-paid, safe, and secure, and include strong investments in apprenticeships and training assisting young people looking for secure jobs in the renewable economy.
Quotes attributable to ACTU President, Michele O’Neil:
“Support for these jobs and industries will make a real difference for Australian manufacturing workers and their communities. This shows we have a government committed to investing in the future of our manufacturing industry for generations to come.
“For working people, today’s announcement means more clean energy, lower power prices, and more manufacturing jobs.
“The contrast couldn’t be starker: the Prime Minister is saving manufacturing jobs, while the Opposition Leader wants to kill them. The Government is investing to secure the economic livelihoods of manufacturing workers, while the Coalition and Peter Dutton are more interested in playing politics with these communities and their need for a stronger future.”
