BY PETER HYSLOP
The State Government is today announcing a fund to support future economic development in the Hunter region, one responsible for looking at good uses of land after mines close down.
The Future Jobs and Investment Authority would use $27.3 million worth of taxpayer dollars over four years to try and attract investment, and also to figure out ways to spend Government money on post mining land use.
State Finance and Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos says the plan isn’t to get rid of coal mines, just to deal with decommissioned ones.
“We know that coal will continue to have an important role to play particularly here in the Hunter, where we have strong export markets, and I know our key trading partners are watching this closely,” she said.
“There’s no doubt that coal mining jobs are well paid jobs, and they’ve been the backbone of the Hunter Valley for decades.
“But that doesn’t [resolve] the fact that at some point, mining will reduce,” he said.
