VACC Calls for Immediate Withdrawal of Flawed EV Licensing Proposal
Victorian Government's Energy Safety Roadmap Undermines National Automotive Standards
17 December 2025
Melbourne -
The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce has categorically rejected the Victorian Government's proposal to require licensed electrical workers to de-energise electric vehicles before qualified automotive technicians can perform service and repair work, describing the measure as fundamentally flawed and unworkable.
Under proposed changes outlined in the Energy Safety Roadmap, automotive workshops would be forced to engage licensed electrical workers to isolate EV high-voltage systems, a requirement VACC says contradicts vehicle manufacturers' design intent, national automotive qualifications, and established industry safety frameworks.
"This proposal represents a fundamental misunderstanding of how electric vehicles are designed and how they should be serviced," said Peter Jones, CEO of the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce.
"Vehicle manufacturers design EVs specifically for automotive technicians to de-energise them safely. This isn't electrical infrastructure work, it's a core automotive safety function."
VACC's position highlights that comprehensive national frameworks already exist to manage EV safety, including the nationally endorsed AURETH101 competency for EV de-energisation, Australian Standard AS 5732:2022 for EV maintenance and repair, and the Motor Vehicle Information Scheme (MIVIS), which restricts high-voltage repair information access to appropriately qualified automotive professionals.
"The automotive industry has invested heavily in developing rigorous, nationally consistent training pathways specifically for EV service and repair. These aren't theoretical qualifications, they're practical, evidence-based frameworks that align with OEM procedures and Australian Standards," Mr Jones said.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism for the operational chaos it would create. VACC warns that mandatory electrical worker involvement would introduce unavoidable delays into routine servicing, prove entirely unworkable in regional and rural Victoria, and significantly increase costs for consumers, all without any demonstrated safety benefit.
"No evidence has been presented showing that current automotive safety systems are failing. This appears to be policymaking in a vacuum, developed without meaningful consultation with the sector actually responsible for EV service and repair," Mr Jones said.
This misguided approach is further evidenced by the related proposal to impose a new licensing regime on Victorian automotive workers performing maintenance work on light passenger vehicles.
The VACC has also raised concerns about the broader implications for Australia's nationally harmonised approach to automotive regulation. The proposal would create regulatory inconsistency across jurisdictions and undermine confidence in nationally endorsed automotive qualifications that have been developed in partnership with industry, government, and training bodies.
"This proposal directly contradicts the Victorian Government's stated objectives of accelerating EV adoption and supporting small businesses. You can't encourage EV uptake while simultaneously making it more difficult and expensive to service them," Mr Jones said.
The VACC is calling on the Victorian Government to immediately abandon the proposal and establish proper consultation mechanisms with the automotive industry before developing any further EV safety policy.
"We're not opposed to safety regulation—we're leaders in it. But effective policy must be informed by those who design vehicles, develop service procedures, and train technicians. The automotive industry stands ready to work constructively with government, but we won't accept policies that are unworkable, duplicative, and counter-productive," Mr Jones concluded.
ENDS
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