New Foundation Hopes to Soften Blow to Hunter's Economy in Wake of Coal Mine Closures

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Leaders from across the Hunter are working to establish a foundation which they hope will help create jobs in emerging industries, following the closure of coal mines and coal fired power stations in the coming decades. 

The Hunter 2050 foundation is aiming to help the region take control of its future by giving communities, businesses and industry the time and tools they need to adapt and diversify.

Mining giant, Glencore this week revealed plans to shut the Hunter's Intergra and Liddell coal mines as energy generation transitions to a low carbon economy.

The foundation says they would need around $15 million dollars to begin.

“This is about safeguarding the future of the Hunter region,” Hunter Joint Organisation Board Chair and Mayor of Cessnock City Council Cr Bob Pynsent said.

“The simple fact of the matter is the coal and energy sector in the Hunter is changing. While the future of the Hunter will include coal, we know that future global demand and use of coal is not something we can control or influence. 

“So, we must look now at how we can address long-term changes to the coal power industry. There are 25,000 people in the Hunter working directly in mining, energy, or in supporting industries and businesses.

“This Foundation will help hundreds of businesses a year and thousands of workers. We are looking to partner with industry who have an immediate interest in economic transformation with the closure of both the Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations scheduled in 2023 and 2035, respectively.

The importance of the Foundation has already been highlighted by the impact of COVID-19 on the Hunter region.

“COVID-19 has shown us how vulnerable we are to global economic shifts. This new Foundation is about preparing for a future where the region relies on a healthy mix of new and traditional industries,” Hunter Joint Organisation Board Member and Mayor of Singleton Council Cr Sue Moore said.

“The Foundation will start by helping those whose employment or business has been impacted by the COVID recession.

“Then it will work with the community, the education sector and business to attract new industries to the Hunter. It will help workers to find new, meaningful and enjoyable work.

The new Foundation is being supported by the Hunter Joint Organisation, as well as industry partners, education providers, local leaders and community.

Another blow to train manufacturing in the Hunter

BY MICHAEL COOK and JESSICA ROUSE

The state’s new regional rail fleet may not be built by manufacturing companies in the Hunter, following the Berejiklian Government’s failure to commit to a local build.

The regional fleet manufacturing would involve renewing the aging Xplorer and Endeavour fleets as well as the XPT. The Australian Manufacturing Union (AMU) believes it would be an important opportunity to invest in the state's heavy manufacturing industries and particularly in Newcastle.

Union Secretary Tim Ayres is disappointed the government's failed on their promise to build trains in regional NSW yet again.

"Well this is another jobs disaster for NSW, the liberal government wants to send blue collar jobs offshore which is another multi-million dollar rail contract with no commitment for local jobs. Over the course of the last two years, the NSW government has sent $4 billion worth of train jobs offshore."

Putting the contract to Hunter manufacturers would be an opportunity to reverse the trend of lost jobs in manufacturing since 2011 and turn it around according to the AMU.

"The government's been out there telling anybody who'll listen that they're going to deliver this project inside NSW and have failed on that commitment. The story that the government is telling today is that they're going to build a maintenance facility in Dubbo is just another in a long line of broken promises and distortions of what it's really going to take to rebuild train manufacturing in NSW," said Tim Ayres.

The government has announced they'll build a maintenance facility in Dubbo, but the union wants more assurances jobs still won't be taken offshore.

"These tenders have not been let there is still plenty of time for the NSW government to make it clear to local industry that these tenders should be done on the basis of a Newcastle build and a regional maintenance centre so there's still plenty of time for the government to do the right thing here but yesterday's announcement was a very disappointing and it shows that they've just gone back to their bad old ways," said Tim Ayres.