The 27th March was a significant milestone for the Hunter JO, marking 70 years of continuous collaboration between our region’s councils. Forged in the aftermath of the devastating 1955 Hunter Valley (Maitland) floods, it was at that time that the region’s Councils first agreed to unite in their approach to the State and Federal Governments for positive action and assistance with the reconstruction effort.
Seventy years on I am proud to lead ongoing collaboration by our councils as Chair of the Hunter Joint Organisation, at a time when the need for collaboration remains as strong as ever. While the 1955 floods are long gone, we are witnessing significant and accelerating change in global investment and Government energy policy that will inevitably transform our region’s future.
In the face of this change, our democratically elected Board of Mayors are deeply committed to diversifying and supporting our region’s growth and economic transformation in a way that balances and supports the needs of our local communities, while respecting and honouring our past and present industrial identity.
Mining and energy generation has historically and continues to be a critical economic driver for our region, currently contributing around $23 billion annually to the Hunter’s economy and directly supporting the lifestyle opportunities enjoyed right across the region. However, we are already seeing the impacts of global change, with two of our largest mines set to close by 2030, impacting 12,000 local jobs, with more to be impacted as further mines close over the coming decades.
As such, while mining continues to be supported and will play a significant role in supporting the Hunter’s economy and lifestyle in the years to come, in the face of global change in energy demands, and our region’s population continuing to approach one million people by 2040, we are committed to collaborating across all levels of government to ensure the future economic prosperity of our region.
These pressures and opportunities are clearly reflected in the new ten-year Hunter JO strategic plan that is currently shaping up, with key priorities including:
- Mining land redevelopment – Accelerating the redevelopment and reactivation of current and former mining lands to drive and support the growth of new businesses and industry to provide the Hunter’s future jobs. On this front we welcome the recent release of recommendations from the NSW Government Inquiry into the beneficial reuse of mining lands and look forward to further engaging with the Government on their implementation.
- Housing – Actively supporting and collaborating with all levels of government to deliver housing targets that meet our region’s immediate and future housing needs.
- Financial Sustainability – Ensuring the financial health and sustainability of local Councils to ensure they can continue to deliver the essential community infrastructure and services that underpin our lifestyle and future economic growth.
- Diversification of industries – Encouraging investment in new and alternative industries that will diversify and grow our economy by capitalising on our current economic strengths, competitive advantages and increasing international opportunities (e.g. international tourism and freight via both Newcastle Airport and the Port of Newcastle).