The Motor Trades Association of Queensland has applauded the Queensland Government’s decision to reject a recommendation proposing that electrical components of electric vehicles should be serviced and repaired by appropriately licensed electrical workers rather than qualified automotive technicians.
Responding to the Review of Queensland’s Electrical Safety Act (2002) final report, the government determined that the recommendation would not be implemented as proposed. Instead, further consideration of how to maintain and improve electrical safety in the context of electric vehicles will occur through a ‘roundtable’ that will liaise with other Australian jurisdictions. The roundtable will be chaired by the Commissioner for Electrical Safety, with outcomes to be referred for national consideration later this year.
Following months-long advocacy efforts to dissuade the implementation of the recommendation, MTA Queensland said it considers the response a positive outcome for the automotive industry and looks forward to further consultation with state and national bodies to determine the best path forward.
“When the review was first published in May 2023, we were astounded that neither MTA Queensland nor any other automotive association had been consulted in its development, despite the potentially catastrophic impact the recommendations would have on our industry,” said CEO Rod Camm.
“While there is still work to do, it is encouraging to see the Queensland Government take our concerns under advisement and reject the initial recommendation.”
MTA Queensland said it will continue to advocate for EV service and repair jobs to remain the responsibility of automotive technicians while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of workers.