The State Government will introduce legislation in the next sitting fortnight to protect 400 jobs at MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant coal mine near Muswellbrook, providing certainty to workers and their families in the lead-up to Christmas.
The government announced the intervention on Monday, saying it would address the unique legal uncertainty arising from the High Court’s judgment on 7 October 2026. MACH Energy had advised that without legislative intervention it would need to scale back production, putting hundreds of jobs at risk and affecting businesses across the mine’s supply chain.
The bill would authorise an increased annual production limit of 16.5 million tonnes until 2032, consistent with the mine’s current workforce and production profile. As part of the arrangement, MACH Energy has agreed to a Jobs Guarantee to maintain its current permanent workforce until 2032. There are currently 826 permanent workers and contractors employed at Mount Pleasant. The provisions granting statutory consent will not take effect until the company has signed the guarantee.
The legislation will also place additional conditions on the mine to minimise its Scope 3 emissions, in line with Independent Planning Commission requirements for the Hunter Valley Operations mine and the NSW Coal Industry 2026-50 document. The government says the move responds to the unique circumstances facing Mount Pleasant’s workers and will not be extended to any other projects. It will take targeted action while the court process over the Independent Planning Commission’s 2022 decision continues, and MACH Energy is expected to keep working through the courts to gain approval to operate until 2048.
Premier Chris Minns said families were already doing it tough.
“At a time when families are doing it tough, the last thing they need is the uncertainty of losing their livelihood just before Christmas,” he said.
“Our commitment to tackling climate change hasn’t changed, but neither has our commitment to protecting working people.”
