The Queensland Government has released their response to the Review of the Electrical Safety Act (The Williams Review) and in a good outcome for the automotive industry, it has decided to not proceed with a controversial proposal which would have increased cost and complexity for dealerships.
AADA has been following the review closely, submitted to the Electrical Safety Office, and written to Minister Grace Grace, opposing inclusion of electric vehicles under the regulatory scope of the Queensland Electrical Safety Act.
The Queensland Government has decided not to proceed with recommendation 8 of The Williams Review which had proposed that work on electric vehicles (EVs) be included under the Electrical Safety Act and require that “appropriately licensed electrical workers to carry out the electrical work on the electrical components”.
The Queensland Government plans instead to further consider, “how to maintain and improve electrical safety in the context of electric vehicles will occur through a roundtable who will liaise with the Commonwealth and other Australian jurisdictions.”
They have also recommended that the Electrical Safety Office “engage with other relevant Queensland and Australian regulators as needed to ensure appropriate scope and to avoid both regulatory gaps and duplication.”
Separate to the review, a roundtable chaired by the Queensland Commissioner for Electrical Safety has been convened to consider safety improvements for those who work on electric vehicles, with outcomes to be referred for national consideration later this year.
In the meantime, there is no change to the regulation of work performed in the service, repair, and maintenance of EVs in Queensland.
AADA will be seeking to consult with the Queensland Commissioner for Electrical Safety in the immediate future.
