The Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue recently appointed a new Chair, John Watson. John is the Director Environment and Community Coal Assets Australia – Glencore, and takes on this role from Sarah Withell, who has held this position since 2019.

Sarah has played an invaluable role in setting the Dialogue’s strategic direction and ensuring it remains relevant and agile, particularly through some challenging years impacted by Covid.

During Sarah’s tenure the Dialogue was able to remain productive, continue delivering annual rehabilitation and water use reporting projects, expand the successful School Tours Program, and implement a significant new project to respond to community concerns around air quality.

As the incoming Chair, John has been an industry representative on the Joint Advisory Steering Committee since 2019 and has participated in the Dialogue since its establishment. John brings a deep understanding of the Dialogue and has established relationships with many community stakeholders, so will provide a seamless and effective transition.

John said that his overarching vision for the Dialogue, “is that we continue to have good engagement with all aspects of the Upper Hunter community and we continue to work collaboratively with the community”.

Alongside other activities in 2024, planning is already underway for the Community Forum, a key engagement event for the Dialogue, which this year will be held in Singleton in October.