The State Government has established a new Future Jobs and Investment Authority to provide certainty to workers and communities in coal-producing regions, following the passing of the Future Jobs and Investment Bill 2025.
The Authority will support the state’s four coal-producing regions: the Hunter, the Illawarra, the Central West and the North West. It is backed by $29.7 million of ongoing funding and more than $170 million under a new Future Jobs and Investment Fund, with additional contributions each year. Around 25,000 people in NSW work directly in coal mining, including more than 1,500 at Hunter Valley Operations, which last month received approval to extend operations into the 2040s.
The Authority will have the power to attract investment to support new industries, skills development and job creation, facilitate post-mining land use, report on mine closures and provide workforce support. Four Local Divisions will lead community engagement, each including representatives of workers, industry, local government and the community. The Chair of each division will sit on the Authority’s board alongside union and industry representatives. The Hunter and Central West divisions will be the first established, with appointments to be announced in due course.
The legislation also requires coal mine operators to give notice of mine closure within specified timeframes and to provide plans outlining how workers will be supported when operations cease. The government says the passing of the bill follows more than three years of consultation.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the Authority would give Hunter families a direct voice in shaping their own future.
“The Hunter has never been a region that waits for opportunity to arrive. We build it, mine it, grow it and power it, and this week, we have legislated to protect just that,” she said.
Natural Resources Minister Courtney Houssos says the legislation delivers on an election commitment.
“The Future Jobs and Investment Authority will empower workers, communities and industry to create opportunities across mining, manufacturing, rail, energy and infrastructure,” she said.
“The passing of this crucial legislation begins a new partnership between government and our coal-producing regions. It means the regions that have powered NSW for generations get the support they need to attract new industries and support job creation in the long term.”
