The NSW Minerals Council says mining continues to deliver major economic benefits for the state, with new data showing record job support and near‑record spending during the last financial year.
The Council’s annual member Expenditure Survey found 29 participating mining companies supported more than 35,100 full‑time equivalent jobs, the highest number recorded in the survey’s 14‑year history. Total direct spending remained strong at almost $22 billion, nearly double what the sector contributed in 2014–15.
The coal sector delivered the bulk of the impact, accounting for $19.3 billion of the statewide economic contribution and directly supporting more than 26,000 jobs. Metals mining added a further $2.6 billion in direct spending and over 9,000 jobs.
The Hunter region again emerged as the most economically reliant on mining, with the industry contributing around 26 per cent of the area’s Gross Regional Product. Other regions, including the Central West, North West and Far West, also reported strong economic dependence on mining activity.
NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said the results highlighted mining’s ongoing importance to regional communities.
“The mining sector’s contribution to the NSW economy is one of the largest in the 14‑year history of the survey, delivering more jobs than ever, spending $22 billion directly across the state, and supporting more than 7,500 NSW businesses,” he said.
Mr Galilee urged governments to continue backing mining projects, arguing they provide economic certainty at a time of broader financial pressure.
