For too long the coal industry has been quiet about its contributions, despite the undeniable fact that our country is built on the back of it. Now, a new voice for the coal industry has come on the scene and its already being heard right across Australia.
Coal Australia is a not-for-profit membership organisation recently established to represent the coal mining industry and give a voice to its workers, communities and many supporters. We caught up with Chairman Nick Jorss to find out about its mission to become our industry’s biggest advocate.
Nick still considers himself a relative newcomer in the coal industry, even though he’s been in it since 2008 when he founded Stanmore Coal and has been the Chairman of Bowen Coking Coal for the last five years.
He said Coal Australia came about because for too long the industry has kept quiet.
“It always struck me there weren’t too many people standing up for our industry. Standing up for coal has been done by only small number of industry leaders for a number years. That has to change. People want their CEOs to stand up and be vocal alongside them and Coal Australia is providing a platform for all of us to do just that.
“In the past when I met with politicians they would say ‘why should we stand up for your industry when you don’t stand up for yourself’.
“Then I would meet with workers and the people in regional communities and I would see that they had so much pride in the industry, yet they felt they didn’t have permission to express it.”
“That’s when I started to think that the coal industry could do more by working together and giving ourselves the ability to start standing up loud and proud and saying this is what we are and this is what we do.”
Nick said he wasn’t alone in seeing the gap and after many conversations last year with people both in the industry as well as those outside of it the answer became clear. The formation of Coal Australia, a new organisation entirely focused on representing coal.
“The coal industry is the second biggest export industry in Australia. We support over 300,000 jobs directly and indirectly and we underpin economic prosperity and have done so for a long time, not only in Australia but all around the world. We create the steel that we need to build everything we require for our future. We keep the lights on and keep electricity bills down. Global coal demand continues to rise every year despite the forecasts that suggest the opposite and Australia’s high quality coal will be help power the world and build steel for many decades to come.
“We have so much to be proud of. Our industry is cutting edge in terms of our environmental standards, our safety practices, and our commitment to equality and diversity. We are world leaders in so many areas and we should rightfully be proud of that.
“Our goal is to start with restoring pride in the coal industry and restoring the social licence. I believe that pride is already there and it’s really a matter of unleashing it. We want the people in our industry, and the communities that rely on it, to feel safe and have certainty about their future and we also want to be able to attract new people into the industry.”
Nick is urging everyone to go to Coal Australia’s website (coalaustralia.com) and sign up to show their support.
“We’ve had an incredible response so far. What makes me most proud is the support we have had from our workers and the community, and beyond that we are finding that right across Australia people are recognising that the coal industry is critical to our current prosperity and to our future.
“Our approach is very much a grassroots one that unleashes workers and coal communities and allows them to find their voice. So when it does come to the issues the industry is facing, we have an army of supporters that can speak out. Our political leaders tend to go where the votes are and by coming together we will make sure we are heard loud and clear. Our industry and people should be celebrated and not demonised.”
The Coal Australia website is also where you will find plenty of facts about the vital role the coal industry plays. Facts that everyone should know so when you hear someone criticise the industry or are misinformed you can set them straight.
“I think a lot of the negativity about the coal industry comes from a lack of knowledge and that is exactly why we need a stronger voice. In my view, the coal industry has been largely absent from the public debate and it’s been difficult for people to speak up at that BBQ for the fear that they’re going against the trend.
“But now, especially with the current cost of living crisis and people questioning why their electricity bills are going through the roof even though we are building more renewables, there’s an increasing question being raised as to why we are turning our backs on reliable low-cost energy from coal.
“The polling we’ve done so far is showing that people do appreciate the coal industry a lot more than some might think and what is represented in the media. However, the activists have had the megaphone for too long and so it’s time to stand together and take it back.
“This is about all the people who work in this industry, but we hope all Australians will get behind it and that’s certainly what we are finding. Australians who think about energy policy sensibly, who think about keeping their bills down, who think about jobs. Once you outline what the facts are, then people get it. That we simply can’t do without coal, never mind that we have the best coal in the world. Without coal you can’t make new steel to build everything from our houses to bridges to windmills. The price of power will keep going up if we continue to close our coal fired power stations. People across Australia get that.
“We need coal for making new steel and we need it for low cost reliable energy and that need is increasing every year. Coal is going to be around for a very long time and Coal Australia will be here to make sure that people not only understand that but welcome it and feel the pride we all do.”
INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR COAL AUSTRALIA
| We have coal communities to thank for so much of Australia’s economic prosperity and resilience and, as leaders in the industry, we owe it to them to take the fight to those who seemingly take that for granted. Coal Australia will amplify the voices of coal communities right across the country; those hardworking men and women who are helping to keep the lights on, keep our regions thriving and support the energy and industrial needs of our closest trading partners. Whitehaven is proud to be a founding member of Coal Australia, and like Whitehaven, there is a singularity of purpose that Coal Australia will benefit from. The time is right for us to come together to advocate for the interests of our industry, our people and, importantly, the regional businesses and communities that rely on us for economic opportunity and security. Australia’s coal communities have good reason to be optimistic about the future of our industry. We produce some of the highest quality coal in the world and demand for our products is expected to remain strong during the multi-decade transition. Paul Flynn, CEO, Whitehaven |
| New Hope Group is proud to support Coal Australia as a strong and dedicated body which advocates for our industry and the benefits we bring to communities as well as Australia’s economy. Coal communities in Australia are the backbone of our industry. Despite playing an essential role in Australia’s prosperity, the coal industry is regularly demonised and criticised. Coal mining contributes significantly to the Australian economy in terms of jobs and export revenue. It contributes billions of dollars to the economy, supports thousands of jobs and allows communities and families all over Australia to flourish. Coal remains essential to Australia’s energy mix and is important to our trading partners overseas to provide secure and reliable energy which supports economic development. Rob Bishop, CEO, New Hope Group |
COAL AUSTRALIA’S CHEER SQUAD
You can’t be a voice for the coal mining industry without listening to what the people in it have to say. Kathleen and Ben share their thoughts on the coal industry and what the establishment of Coal Australia means to them.
Kathleen started at a geotechnical engineering consultancy sixteen years ago which is where she fell in love with the coal mining industry. After completing an undergraduate degree in geology, she worked as a mine geologist in underground coal mines for many years. Recently, Kathleen changed roles to a geotechnical engineer after completing two years of post-graduate study in mine geotechnical engineering.
What’s the best part of your job?
The people! There’s a lot of laughs with your team and the crews. There is also a lot of collaboration between the teams as we are always solving problems. The working faces change conditions so there are always lessons to learn and safety is paramount, we all want ourselves and our mates to return home in one piece.
Plus, I have found some pretty cool rocks to add to my collection!
Are you proud to work in the coal industry?
I’m very proud to be part of the coal industry. There are so many opportunities in the industry if you are looking for them, you constantly learn from others, you are part of a big team.
What does the coal industry mean to you and your family?
Coal mining is the main source of our household income. We live very comfortably within our means and can splurge on family holidays when we want. I think it is important that my daughter sees me thriving in a male-dominated industry. My experience in high school was that I was limited in my career choices because of my gender, luckily, I didn’t listen!
What does a strong coal industry mean for your community?
I love walking down the street in Singleton or Muswellbrook and most people you see have high vis on. You can’t go too far without running into someone you have worked with – us coal miners are everywhere! If coal mining ended my immediate community would be very impacted, a few people in my street would be out of jobs. The surveyor next door who monitors subsidence lines, the other next-door neighbour who is a miner driver, next to them a dozer driver at the power station, and then down the road a truck driver at an open cut mine and a boilermaker who works in a workshop specialising in mining equipment. That’s just in my street!
How important do you think Coal Australia will be in advocating for the coal industry and its communities?
Coal mining companies can be introverted, focusing on operations rather than taking part in rebutting the narrative out there around coal mining. Rightly so, as operations are the core of the business. Coal Australia will showcase the positive benefits that coal mining brings and help increase the awareness that coal mining is key to the continued success of Australia.
What made you sign up to be a Coal Australia supporter?
I think this is the right time for Coal Australia to be launched, the industry needs to be more reasonably represented to the public eye.
How can we encourage people to get involved in Coal Australia and help advocate for the industry?
Come along for the ride with Coal Australia! Sign up on the website and follow us on socials, get some merch and wear it proudly!
A lot of people think coal mining is bad for Australia – what would you say those people?
From my experience most people do understand that we need coal mining to survive – we need coal for electricity, we need coal for steel, it underpins the quality of our life in Australia. A few people I have come across who may not understand all the uses for coal and the stringent environmental regulations that we work under can usually cotton on that they have been misled. There is a lot of information out there that can deepen people’s understanding to form more educated opinions. I showed my brother-in-law that at that time of the day more than half of the NEM (National Electricity Market) was being powered by coal. Poor guy is a steadfast South Australian who thought SA ran on renewables only. He had no idea that SA was hooked into the grid along the east coast.
What’s one thing that would surprise people about coal mining?
I assume people living in the cities may think coal mining is far removed from them and their lives. Look around any major city skyline, cranes are everywhere constructing new buildings, some with green-star ratings. These buildings are being built with high tensile steel and high strength concrete; both made from coal. It is widely known that steel is a combination of coal and iron, but not many people know that concrete is made of up to 30% flyash, a byproduct from thermal coal. It is added to improve the strength, durability and cohesiveness of concrete.
Bodie is the Technical Services Manager for New Hope Group’s New Acland Coal Mine. His role in technical services incorporates planning, along with geology, geotechnical, drill and blast disciplines, surveying and site-based projects. Bodie joined the industry in 2009, and his first role was in production operating haul trucks whilst studying for his engineering degree before he started in the technical services department as an undergraduate student where he has been ever since.
What’s the best part of your job?
I enjoy the problem solving that comes with the job. Whether it is an issue that has arisen during the day that needs to be overcome, or an opportunity to streamline a future process, there is always something to work on and improve.
Are you proud to work in the coal industry?
I am very proud to be part of such a great industry. I wear my work shirt proudly knowing that I am contributing to both my company and the country.
What does the coal industry mean to you and your family?
The coal industry means both opportunity and security to my family. It means that I can live locally and within the region that both my wife and I grew up in and provide for my family.
What does a strong coal industry mean for your community?
People sometimes forget about all the indirect jobs and flow on impacts that a mine site creates. Whether it is the coal mine worker at the face, the specialist contractor, the office staff, the logistics required in the form of road-trains, trains, or the port. And we can’t forget the local bakery that provides the food in the morning, the local real estate, fitness centres, service stations, the community support given out in the form of grants and donations etc. The list goes on and on.
How important do you think Coal Australia will be in advocating for the coal industry and its communities?
I think this has been something that has been sorely missed for a long time within the coal industry. We have largely been the silent majority when confronting the ill-informed activists and minority groups that stand against coal. We are a great industry that provides so much wealth and opportunity for this nation, and we need to be proud of that and let the rest of the country know it too.
What made you sign up to be a Coal Australia supporter?
I am very passionate about my job, colleagues, and industry, and I want to see this industry not only keep going but grow and expand. I am encouraging everyone to get behind this cause. It is a very large industry and once you add up all the people that have direct and indirect jobs due to coal mining, coupled with their friends and family members, it will quickly grow into a large following.
How can we encourage people to get involved in Coal Australia and help advocate for the industry?
I think it needs to start with a conversion. At the family or friends BBQ, have a conversation and be proud about what we do as an industry. Coal Australia, and particularly us as individuals need to be more vocal of this industry and let everyone know of all the benefits that coal mining provides right across the nation.
A lot of people think coal mining is bad for Australia – what would you say to those people?
I would say that they are ill-informed about our great industry and need to be educated with the facts, rather than the ‘doom and gloom’ that is regular for our industry. Coal mining within Australia, whether it be metallurgical or thermal coal, provides great opportunity and wealth for this nation and provides outstanding social and financial impacts to communities across Australia. It is a highly regulated industry in terms of both health and safety and environmentally.
