ACE plays starring role in PM announcement
12 November 2008
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Senator Kim Carr explore the green possibilities with Australian car manufacturers.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited the Automotive Centre of Excellence on Monday November 10 to announce a $6.2billion plan to make the automotive industry more economically and environmentally sustainable by 2020.
The Government's 'A New Car Plan For A Greener Future' followed a review of the future of car industry assistance headed by former Victorian premier Steve Bracks.
More than 180 industry and government representatives, media outlets, and Automotive Centre of Excellence staff and students attended the event to hear how the Rudd government intends to roll out the plan over the coming years.
ACE students James Bick and Bianca Vellucci gave the PM a tour of the facility before official proceedings.
Kangan Batman TAFE CEO Ray Griffiths said the plan signalled great things for the future of automotive training and employment in Victoria.
"As the state's leading provider of automotive training, the Automotive Centre of Excellence was the perfect location to launch this ambitious new plan," he said.
"When the ACE concept was first developed, we were well aware of the need to better integrate workforce training with the specific needs of vehicle manufacturing and repair companies."
"Since the ACE opened two years ago, we've worked hard to establish strong links with the state's growing automotive industry. With this recent announcement, we've got clear direction on what new ideas we need to incorporate into our training in the coming years."
More than 180 people gathered at the Automotive Centre of Excellence in the Docklands to hear Prime Minister Rudd deliver the latest automotive industry package.
Prime Minister Rudd announced an extra $3.4 billion in funding as part of the government's strategy to protect jobs and focus the country's car industry on becoming more efficient.
The Green Car Plan will feature an expanded $1.3 billion Green Car Innovation Fund which will provide Australian car companies with the opportunity to receive Government funding to design and sell environmentally friendly cars.
The Innovation Fund will see the Australian Government match industry investment in green cars on a $1 dollar to $3 dollar basis over a ten year period from 2009.
The over-all plan is expected to generate $16 billion in investment in the Australian automotive industry over the life of the plan.
"The government's A New Car Plan For A Greener Future recognises that we can't take any sector forward without commitment from all players involved in the industry," Ray said.
"That means we've got a very important part to play in the future success of Victoria's auto industry, and with Stage Two of the Automotive Centre of Excellence about to commence, we've never been better placed to meet these changing demands."
