Hunter community groups have welcomed the passage of the Future Jobs and Investment Bill through the NSW Legislative Council, describing it as a major step towards a more secure future for the state’s coal-dependent regions.
The bill establishes a fund and a public authority to promote economic diversification in coal-dependent communities, and requires coal mine owners to provide transition support for workers when mines close. It passed the Legislative Council on Thursday night with minor amendments to improve accountability and community representation, and now returns to the Legislative Assembly.
Hunter Renewal coordinator Steve Phillips said the legislation would help ensure coal-dependent regions are not left behind as the world transitions away from coal.
“The first big mine closures in the Hunter are due in just four years, and more are coming,” Mr Phillips said, adding that many could be sudden as the market wanes. BHP’s Mt Arthur mine near Muswellbrook is scheduled to close in 2030.
Hunter Jobs Alliance coordinator Justin Page said the regulations must now require coal companies to provide meaningful transition support, including paid retraining, paid training leave, career and financial advice and help securing new employment.
“These must be enforceable obligations, not optional commitments left to individual mining companies,” Mr Page said. He said the recent Independent Planning Commission decision on Hunter Valley Operations exposed a failure to adequately plan for mine closures and their impacts.
