ED HUSIC MP
MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE
COURTNEY HOUSSOS MLC
MINISTER FOR FINANCE
MINISTER FOR DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
MINISTER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES
DAN REPACHOLI MP
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR HUNTER
LAURA HUGHES
LABOR CANDIDATE FOR NEW ENGLAND
MEDIA RELEASE
28 April 2025
LABOR INVESTING IN HUNTER JOBS
A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will invest $5 million to fund master plans for rezoned Hunter mine sites to attract new industry and create local jobs.
Coal mining has supported good jobs in the Hunter for more than 150 years.
As some private companies prepare to repurpose local coal mines, the Albanese and Minns Governments are determined to make sure well-paid blue-collar jobs remain in the Hunter for generations to come.
Local mayors have been calling for these master plans and Labor has listened. The master plans will ensure investment is ready to flow as some mines approach planned closures.
The Albanese Labor Government will partner with the NSW Government, local councils, and industry to deliver this work. As a first step, the Albanese Labor Government will commit $5 million, alongside in-kind support from the NSW Government, to deliver
• a master plan for buffer land surrounding the BHP Mt Arthur coal mine in Muswellbrook, and
• a master plan for the closed Glencore West Wallsend coal mine in the Lake Macquarie region.
The Albanese Government sees a strong future for the Hunter. This is in stark contrast to Peter Dutton, who washed his hands of the region and said the Hunter was “done”.
The Albanese Labor Government is implementing the Future Made in Australia economic plan, the largest pro-manufacturing package in Australia’s history. This includes a $2 billion investment to support Australian made aluminium, securing the industry’s future.
Labor’s plan of action is to attract investment for the Hunter and our other industrial heartlands, and secure the good jobs that Australians deserve.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic:
“Attracting new industries to set up on old mining sites is a smart way to create jobs and a great way to renew the Hunter economy.
“Peter Dutton says the Hunter is ‘done’ and his only plan is to build a nuclear plant in an earthquake zone.
“A re-elected Albanese Labor Government sees a bright future for the Hunter and is investing to lock that in.”
Quotes attributable to the NSW Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos:
“This is great news for Hunter communities, workers and their families.
“We need to make sure mine sites continue to be economically productive and support jobs as they have for generations.
“This is a great example of the opportunities we have to grasp. By bringing different levels of government together can we deliver long-term outcomes which secure jobs and economic development.
“Only Labor has a plan to keep the Hunter strong.”
Quotes attributable to the Member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi MP:
"Coal has powered the Hunter for generations, and it’s our job to make sure the region keeps powering ahead, with new industries, new jobs, and a strong future.
"These master plans are about protecting good blue-collar jobs in the Hunter, now and into the future. We’re not just planning for the next election, we’re planning for the next 50 years.
"Peter Dutton says the Hunter is 'done'. I say he’s dead wrong. We’ve got the workforce, the land, and the will to keep building stuff right here.
"This isn’t just about rezoning dirt, it’s about real opportunities. These plans will mean thousands of future jobs in manufacturing, energy, and industry can stay local.
"We’ve listened to local mayors and we’re backing them in. They know their communities, and they’ve told us what’s needed and we’re making it happen.
