Mark Richards is the Secretary for the MEU (Mining and Energy Union of Victoria) and is based in the Latrobe Valley. The Latrobe valley is the coal generation core of Victoria. This became a long interview and is split into two parts.

Mark's Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/powergeneration/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/markrichards_lv Mark has a webpage at www.markrichards.com.au

The following clarifications are relevant to the interview:

@16:03 Minor fact check - Mark wished to clarify that he said 63%. It was 61.6% Which was exactly the same for the “Same Sex Marriage Vote” of 61.6% - 'More than 60 per cent of Kimba locals support nuclear waste dump in their region': https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-07/majority-of-kimba-residents-support-nuclear-waste-facility/11680774,'Full results of Australia's vote for same-sex marriage, electorate by electorate – interactive'; https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2017/nov/15/same-sex-marriage-survey-how-australia-voted-electorate-by-electorate

@21:50 Where Mark mentions an Energy Transition Authority, a Net Zero Authority has now been created and budgeted for in the Federal May budget. The MEU was a major player in facilitating its establishment. This article provides more detail: 'New Authority a game-changer for workers affected by energy transition': https://me.cfmeu.org.au/news/new-authority-game-changer-workers-affected-energy-transition

@26:00 The MEU has subsequently won their court case to have a member vote of leave the CFMMEU and become a stand-alone union the MEU. 'Documents to support the Mining and Energy Division application to withdraw from the CFMMEU': https://www.meudocs.com/