Healthy global commodity prices and steady demand for NSW resources over the past two years have delivered more mining jobs for NSW, especially here in the Hunter.
According to the February quarterly figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 40,400 people employed in the NSW mining and minerals processing industry, the highest number for two years.
In the Hunter, the resurgence in coal prices and strong demand for our quality local coal has resulted in an increase in confidence and growth in local coal mining jobs over the past 12 months.
The most recent figures from Coal Services show that there were over 1000 more Hunter coal jobs in December 2017 than a year earlier, taking the region’s overall coal mining job numbers to more than 13,000.
Across NSW there were almost 21,000 coal production jobs. That’s 2000 more than at the same time in 2016, and the highest number since July 2014.
More mining jobs is also good for more than 3000 Hunter businesses that supply mining operations in the region, helping them employ thousands more local people.
The positive business conditions for mining is also helping to drive investment in new and expanded projects across the region, with prospects for more jobs and flow-on economic benefits to local businesses.
More mining workers also means more customers with money in their wallets and purses spending in local cafes, supermarkets, restaurants, bars and retailers.
And with the state budget soon to be delivered, we’re calling on the NSW Government to ensure fair and consistent funding is returned to mining regions like the Hunter through the Resources for Regions program.
Mining is a key driver of the Hunter economy, and more broadly the Hunter economy is a big contributor to the overall economic health of NSW.
So when Hunter mining is doing well, the region and NSW benefits.
There are more opportunities on the horizon and with the right policy settings that make the most of these growing opportunities, our Hunter coal industry can continue to deliver employment, investment and economic stability for our region well into the future.
