Coal Australia launched its campaign in 2023 to put coal back in the spotlight and remind people just how important it remains to Australian jobs, communities and industry. Since then, it has collected 140,000 Friends of Coal and encouraged more people to speak up in support of coal.
Parliamentarians from all sides of politics, stakeholders and industry leaders got together to discuss the importance of the coal industry at Parliament House in June with Coal Australia for the Parliamentary Friends of Resources function co-chaired by Hunter MP Dan Repacholi and Parkes MP Jamie Chaffey.
Coal Australia CEO Stuart Bocking said it showed the growing political support for the movement, and the shifting sentiment.
“Coal Australia now has a regular presence in Mackay and the Bowen Basin, Newcastle and the Hunter, Sydney, Brisbane, and Canberra, it is a truly national body dedicated to promoting the importance of coal.
“Our biggest achievement so far has been to help make coal the new black, it is back with a bang, and Coal Australia has been at the forefront of that.
“Our focus has always been on grassroots advocacy on behalf of our coal mining communities, and it has been very gratifying to see so many smaller, local businesses come on board as associate members. It is a real endorsement of the important work Coal Australia is doing on behalf of those businesses and our producer members,” Stuart explained.
That growing political support was evident seeing One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson in the room, as well as Nationals Leader Matt Canavan, Liberal Senator and Shadow Minister for Resources Susan McDonald, Minister for Resources Madeleine King, Assistant Minister for Resources Anthony Chisholm and Opposition leader Angus Taylor and many other elected officials from Labor, the Liberals and the National Party.
“It’s actually becoming palatable for politicians to be seen with coal industry people which is fantastic,” said Coal Australia founder Nick Jorss.
“You’ve got the leaders from all parties coming to a coal industry event which wouldn’t have happened a couple of years ago, so I think we’ve come a long way and Coal Australia has played a role in turning that boat around,” he said.
Parkes MP and co-chair of Parliamentary Friends of Resources Jamie Chaffey said the evening was about one thing: backing an industry that built this country and is still building it today.
“Thermal and metallurgical coal together are forecast to bring in over $63 billion in export earnings this financial year alone. That is not a legacy industry. That is a powerhouse, paying wages, building regional towns, and writing the royalty checks that fund hospitals, schools, and roads every Australian relies on.
“And yet this industry spends half its time fighting for the right to exist, instead of being backed to do what it does best. You don’t build energy security by threatening the industry that delivers it,” he said.
CEO of New Hope Group Rob Bishop, also the Chairman of Coal Australia, said the industry needed someone loud and proud about coal.
“I think we’ve made a difference since the last Queensland state election and since them we’ve been focusing on the advocacy piece and getting that groundswell of support, 140,000 members and growing and we’re also focusing our efforts outside of Australia.
“I think people are starting to understand that coal is all around us. Everything comes from energy and most of it is coal, whether it’s for energy or for steel,” he said.
Stuart said Coal Australia is also engaging with other countries about the movement, helping show that support for coal remains strong, even when the energy debate can make the industry look uncertain from the outside.
“Many stakeholders across the Asia-Pacific cannot believe there is even a contest over the importance of coal here; for them, coal is absolutely crucial to their economies and underpins their energy security and steel production.”
Stuart said the perception is finally starting to change, with more people beginning to understand the importance of coal.
“Unrest in the Middle East has highlighted the importance of domestic energy and fuel security, helping to increase support for coal much faster than we anticipated.
“Our weekly newsletter has generated a momentum of its own, providing a touchpoint on a regular basis between our supporter network and the work we do, it’s generating a real sense of pride around our coal sector.
“It is also clear there is a real desire for more fact-based information our supporters can use to help spread the positive message on coal,” Stuart said.
“The Friends of Coal network is now getting close to 140-thousand people, and they are from all walks of life, and from all over the country, that is the power of the work Coal Australia is doing.”
Fellow industry bodies are getting involved too, Coal Australia recently announced a partnership with Future Coal, while the NSW Minerals Council and the Queensland Resources Council are also working with Coal Australia.
“I think it’s really important that the resources sector has voices and we’re working closely with Coal Australia to make sure the voices of the coal industry is heard in our organisation and the wider community,” said Janette Hewson, Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Resources Council.
“It’s so important to have both sides of politics, it really reflects the importance of the coal industry. It’s an extraordinary industry that has done so much for Australia, Queensland and NSW and to have that recognition of our importance to the economy and how we contribute to the economy is so important,” she said.
Stuart said none of the advocacy would be possible without their incredible team.
“We have a fantastic team who are all working to highlight the valuable contribution of our coal mining communities and the many flow-on benefits that support so many associated businesses.”
