The emphatic re-election of the Labor Government means that key initiatives to build new industries and create jobs in regional areas like the Hunter can now proceed without delay.
The Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia package and the Net Zero Economy Authority (NZEA) will play vital roles in regions like ours, which are directly affected by industry decarbonisation. To ensure the best outcomes, it’s essential that workers have a voice in how these schemes are implemented. That’s why the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) will take every opportunity to represent our members’ interests.
Future Made in Australia is a national strategy, backed by legislation, that aims to strengthen the Australian economy by rebuilding domestic manufacturing, reducing reliance on imports, creating skilled jobs, and diversifying regional economies. It uses a range of tools, including direct funding for infrastructure, co-investment with private firms in key sectors, and tax incentives to attract large-scale private investment.
It also ties investment to community benefit principles to ensure that good local jobs and regional benefits are delivered. Importantly, it invests in workforce development, including apprenticeships and skills training.
Our coal mining industry remains strong, and the workforce is growing. However, with BHP planning to close Mt Arthur in 2030 and a forecast decline in demand for thermal coal from export markets in the coming decades, investment in future jobs and industries must begin now.
The work of the Net Zero Economy Authority is of particular concern to MEU members, especially those employed in coal-fired power stations.
The NZEA is a federal statutory body established to support workers and communities affected by the energy transition, with a focus on the impending closure of coal and gas-fired power stations. It does not determine closure dates or set Australia’s emissions trajectory, noting that all major political parties, state governments, major mining and energy companies, and our overseas coal customers agree on the policy goal of reducing emissions. Instead, its role is to ensure that workers and communities are supported and do not bear the brunt of the transition.
In addition to facilitating investment in energy regions, the NZEA provides direct support to workers at closing power stations and associated employers. A key mechanism is the development of a tailored and enforceable Energy Industry Jobs Plan.
Origin Energy has informed the NSW Government and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) that the Eraring Power Station at Lake Macquarie is scheduled to close in August 2027. While an extension is possible, we must plan for this potential closure date. NZEA consultations regarding support for workers at Eraring – including contractors and workers at dependent coal mines – are now underway.
The NZEA will engage with employers and affected workers to determine whether to apply to the Fair Work Commission for an enforceable Energy Industry Jobs Plan. This would place obligations on Origin and associated employers to provide an agreed standard of support, including training packages and redeployment opportunities where possible.
The NZEA can also offer incentives to suitable employers in the region to hire workers impacted by the Eraring closure.
The MEU has long advocated that the workers and communities who have powered our nation for decades must not be abandoned during this transition. Programs like Future Made in Australia, which builds a pipeline of future employment in the regions, and the Net Zero Economy Authority, which provides critical support to workers directly affected by closures, are vital for our members and our region.
We intend to be involved at every step, holding government and employers accountable for delivering the investment and support these programs promise.
Robin Williams
District President MEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy
