MTA Queensland is celebrating the Queensland government’s response to the Electrical Safety Act review
The Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTA Queensland) has responded to the Queensland government’s latest response to the Queensland Electrical Safety Act (2002) review, applauding the decision made by the government.
The Queensland government announced it won’t proceed with the recommendation that proposed the electrical components of electric vehicles should be serviced by licensed electrical workers rather than qualified automotive technicians.
In response, the Queensland government says the recommendation wouldn’t be implemented, with further consideration on how to maintain and improve electric vehicle safety to be discussed at a roundtable.
Chaired by the Commissioner for Electrical Safety, the outcomes of the roundtable will be referred for national consideration later this year.
“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,” MTA Queensland CEO Rod Camm says.
“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.”
Following months of advocacy from MTA Queensland to dissuade the implementation of the recommendation, the body considers the response “a positive outcome for the automotive industry” and says it looks forward to further consultation.
MTA Queensland says it will continue to advocate for electric vehicle service and repair jobs to remain the responsibility of automotive technicians while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of workers.