This report finds the Australian Government should leverage its position as financier of renewable energy projects to guarantee strong labour standards in new energy and manufacturing jobs. It calls for labour standards to be embedded in Australia’s energy transition and Future Made in Australia industrial strategy, by attaching conditions to public industrial financial support, and penalising non-compliance with these conditions. The renewable energy sector and associated manufacturing industries will then feature strong labour standards, and public money will not be given to companies seeking to undermine established employment standards. 

Recommendations:

1. The Secure Australian Jobs Code must be developed, enacted, and extended beyond just direct government procurement to also apply to recipients of industrial support. This code must establish minimum standards relating to job security, fair wages and conditions, gender equality, hiring equity, environmental sustainability, and the right to join and participate in a union. 
2. Apprenticeship quotas, ongoing training, and skills development must be built into publicly financed projects to create entry-level pathways into the industry, ensure workers have adequate training to ensure safety, and reduce industry skills 
   shortages.  
3. Minimum and maximum pay standards can be prescribed to ensure that industry norms are not undercut, and that public finance is not misused to overly renumerate executives and CEOs. 
4. Occupational health and safety must be prioritised and guaranteed, particularly when working in environments subject to climate change-induced safety risks.