economic transformation
By 2030, nearly 12,000 direct and indirect jobs will be lost in the Hunter region with the closure of two mines. Over the next few decades, 22 further coal mines are due to close with no mining approvals currently granted beyond 2048. This will impact almost 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Hunter region (FIJA Issues Paper, 2023).
With our population approaching one million, and an economic output of $91 Billion annually, this will have enormous social and economic ramifications for the Hunter region and the NSW economy more broadly, including a decline in coal royalties currently contributing over $3 Billion annually to the NSW budget.
Without urgent intervention, the scale of disruption to communities and the regional economy will be profound.
We know from international experience that successful transition of mining regions requires all levels of government to effectively collaborate to deliver shared plans and objectives. The ten councils of the Hunter region are firmly committed to partnering with both the Australian and NSW governments to deliver outcomes for our communities, to successfully transition away from coal.
We’re advocating for the Federal and NSW Governments to come together with Local Governments in agreeing on a set of commitments and to work together on their delivery to assist the Hunter region and its people, jobs and businesses.
The best way to achieve this would be by way of a Hunter Region Deal, comparable to and based on the Western Sydney City Deal. We’re asking for a similar approach for the Hunter, to provide specific economic focus and support to urgently catalyse business investment and jobs to support a transitioning economy.
Revenue from mining royalties provides an opportunity to catalyse investment in this approach to support mining impacted communities above what is already committed.
Objectives of a tri government agreement for the Hunter would include:
- Creating 50,000 new jobs to offset those expected to be lost from the global decline in coal over the coming decades, and consideration might be given to job creation targets.
- Business incentives and investment attraction.
- Reskilling our mining related industries for future industries.
- Repurposing mining lands to create the new industry and jobs to drive the Hunter’s ongoing contribution to the State and National economies, noting that the New South Wales Government has accepted all recommendations of the inquiry into beneficial and productive post-mining land reuse by the Standing Committee on State Development, and pilot projects are currently underway in the City of Lake Macquarie and Muswellbrook Shire.
- Planning partnerships to support housing growth to meet the NSW targets.
- Long-term Federal, State and Local Government agreement and clear governance arrangements, and direct government intervention
- Streamlined and integrated delivery of cross government support services to mining impacted communities
