Future jobs authority aims to steer Hunter through coal transition

newy.com.au – The NSW Government has introduced legislation in the NSW Parliament to create a Future Jobs and Investment Authority, promising long‑term support for coal producing communities including the Hunter.

For the Hunter, where open‑cut pits, coal trains and export terminals have shaped local jobs and council budgets for generations, the new authority is being framed as a way to manage the shift away from coal while keeping investment and employment in the region. The statutory body will sit alongside new legal requirements on mine operators to provide earlier notice of closures and to show how they will support workers through the transition.

Under the Bill, the Future Jobs and Investment Authority will work with all levels of government, industry and local communities to attract investment and grow new industries to sustain coal regions beyond mining. Local divisions in each of the four coal producing regions are intended to give communities a direct voice in decisions about their economic future.

Around 90% of NSW coal is exported to nearly 30 countries, and about 40 mines operate across the Hunter, Illawarra, Central West and North West regions. Coal is the state’s largest export earner, delivering $2.7 billion a year in economic activity and royalties and supporting thousands of regional jobs.

The government says new regulatory requirements will compel coal companies to start planning earlier for their workforce and to give at least three years’ notice before shutting a mine, bringing them into line with notice arrangements for coal‑fired power stations. Operators will also need to provide information on how they intend to support employees before and after closure, with the authority able to enforce those obligations and issue financial penalties where companies fail to plan.

The authority’s core functions will include drawing investment into new industries, steering former mine land into productive uses, reporting on mine closures so communities are kept informed, and providing workforce support. According to the NSW Government, the new body will guide the future economic development of the Hunter and other coal regions from coal production towards other economic opportunities and employment, working alongside the federal Net Zero Economy Authority.

As part of that role, it will develop frameworks so funding can be spent on projects such as infrastructure upgrades, post‑mining land‑use planning, skills mapping, feasibility studies and training programs. The governance model includes a chief executive‑led statutory authority, an advisory board and four local divisions, including a Hunter division whose chairs will sit on the board to advocate for their regions.

Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said the package recognised both the historic contribution of coal towns and the need to prepare for change. “Our coal regions have powered NSW for generations,” she said. She said the government now wanted to help workers gain new skills and tap into a more diverse economy while keeping regional communities strong.

Houssos said mine employees would remain central to decisions as the sector evolves. “Coal mine workers are the backbone of regional coal communities,” she said, adding that the authority was designed to keep workers’ needs “front and centre” as new industries develop in coal regions.

The legislation has been drafted following consultation with industry bodies, mine operators, unions, universities, business groups, local councils and community and advocacy groups across all four coal regions. The government released an issues paper in April 2024 and received 90 submissions before publishing a consultation outcomes report in December 2024.

Separately, the federal government has committed $5 million for master planning at BHP’s Mt Arthur mine near Muswellbrook and Glencore’s Macquarie Coal site at West Wallsend, work aimed at reshaping former mine land and supporting new jobs as scheduled closures approach. Together with the state authority, the measures are intended to give Hunter communities more certainty about what comes after coal and how key sites might be reused.

The Future Jobs and Investment Authority is backed by $27.3 million over four years for its establishment and operations, while a separate Future Jobs and Investment Fund is expected to unlock more than $110 million for projects supported by the authority in coal regions including the Hunter. The government says that combination of ongoing funding and a dedicated regional body is designed to ensure coal communities share in the benefits of new investment, rather than bearing only the costs of mine closures.

If the legislation passes, the authority will be required to report annually to the NSW Parliament, and a statutory review will be held after three years to test whether it is keeping pace with changes in the coal sector. Further targeted consultation is planned on the detailed regulations, with the government saying it wants Hunter workers, businesses and councils closely involved as the new body is set up and starts choosing projects.