The Rudd Government has invited the public to attend consultation sessions to comment on the $1.3 billion Green Car Innovation Fund which provides assistance in the design and construction of cars that are considered ‘green’.
The Fund commences on 1st July 2009 and will offer help for developing and manufacturing low-emission and fuel-efficient cars and components in Australia.
The 2½ hour consultation sessions will be held in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth between Monday 2nd February and Tuesday 10th February 2009.
“The focus of these sessions will be on the Green Car Innovation Fund Framework Paper, which I released in December,” said the minister for innovation, industry, science and research, Senator Kim Carr.
“The Framework Paper outlines how we propose to implement and operate the fund, and we are keen to hear people’s views on these proposals.
“This fund is a critical part of the Rudd Government’s $6.2 billion New Car Plan for a Greener Future, which is designed to make the automotive industry more economically and environmentally sustainable by 2020.
“The consultations, like the car plan itself, are about working in partnership with industry to ensure we have a modern automotive sector, providing high-skill, high-wage jobs for the future.
“Feedback from the consultation sessions, combined with feedback from the written submissions I called for in December, will inform the finalisation of the program guidelines for the fund.”
Bookings for consultations can be made by phoning the AusIndustry hotline on 13 28 46, booking online at www.ausindustry.gov.au or emailing hotline@ausindustry.gov.au
Written submissions will be accepted until 12 February 2009 and can be emailed to the Manager, Green Car Innovation Fund Taskforce, GCIF@innovation.gov.au