Business Hunter has welcomed a new report from the NSW Parliament that outlines ways to support regional communities through better use of former mining and energy generation sites. The 158-page report, prepared by the Standing Committee on State Development and chaired by Hunter-based MLC Emily Suvaal, recommends changes to regulations and land planning processes to help regions like the Hunter shift smoothly into new industries.
Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the reuse of land connected to mining and power generation had been an ongoing concern in the region. “We know that priorities have changed since many of the original consent conditions for these lands were put in place and there is an increasing imperative to ensure that, where appropriate, former industrial lands can continue to be used to provide jobs and economic benefit for surrounding communities,” he said.
According to Business Hunter, more than 38,000 hectares of land in the Hunter Valley are either currently used for mining, under rehabilitation, or already rehabilitated. These areas, including large buffer zones around mines and power stations, could potentially host a range of new activities—from clean energy projects to manufacturing or land regeneration—if policy and planning rules are updated.
The committee has called for a full review of how post-mining lands are managed, including a new audit of surplus industrial and buffer lands. It also recommends a wider program of reform to help regions affected by the shift away from coal and fossil fuels.
Mr Hawes said one of the most pressing challenges is maintaining jobs through the transition. He supported the report’s recommendation that the NSW Government conduct a skills audit of the mining workforce and begin retraining programs well before mine closures occur. “Our submission to the inquiry recommended that these processes take place while the economic transition is under way so that there is continuity for the workforce and supporting businesses as they move from one industry to the next,” he said.
He added that planning for future land use should not wait until after a mine shuts down. “Communities can fall into a hole as they wait across the period from mine closure to the implementation and integration of the next land use. Having future land use clearly articulated and reskilling under way will reduce the loss of jobs and economic activity as the land merges from one use to another.”
Business Hunter supports the idea that new industries should be added to the regional economy alongside existing ones, rather than replacing them outright. “The approach should be to have new industry and business develop in addition to current ones, not instead of them,” Mr Hawes said.
