Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell is calling on the NSW Labor government to 'come clean' on the progress of the Royalties for Rejuvenations Fund.
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"The Premier's response on this issue when questioned at Budget Estimates is nothing short of breathtaking for the people working in and reliant on the Hunter Valley coal industry," Mr Layzell said.
"He knows the economic value of coal to the NSW economy but had to take the question on notice about when Royalties for Rejuvenation will be operational and helping regional communities to prepare for the end of mining."
As an example of the energy transition now underway this week it was announced ,the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's private company Upper Hunter Hydro, was the successful tender for a pumped hydro project in the Upper Hunter.
In Singleton Glencore's Integra underground mine is expected to finish their last longwall extraction at the end of this year and then move onto site rehabilitation.
At Gloucester the community is preparing for this year's closure of the Stratford colliery by Yancoal, but it won't be the only NSW mine to close.
Budget Estimates was told that Whitehaven's Werris Creek mine on the Gunnedah coalfields and the Russell Vale Colliery in the Illawarra region will also cease production and jobs will be lost.
"The Premier simply cannot respond "that's a good question" when he's asked about Labor's signature promise from the 2023 NSW election to create authorities to invest millions of dollars in coalmining affected communities," Mr Layzell said.
"The mineworkers and mining support businesses of Singleton and Muswellbrook already know structural change is coming to their industry because of the switch to renewable energy - now they want to know when the NSW Government will invest the money the NSW Nationals and Liberals put in the bank to prepare for their future."
Mr Layzell believes the delay with Royalties for Rejuvenation is just another example of NSW Labor's contempt for regional mining communities.
"This delay is unacceptable after the Minns Government scrapped the Resources for Regions program, which has assisted regional communities that are home to resources projects in NSW for more than a decade," he said.
"Since 2012, Resources for Regions allocated $560 million to 355 projects, the Nationals and Liberals provided the help because we understand the benefits of mining and the need for the state government to return a share of the economic benefit to regional mining communities."
Louise Nichols
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
From cattle to coal. Once a specialist agriculture writer today its about community, in particular, the Upper Hunter. I have lived and worked in the region for more than 30 years. Land use issues and the future direction of our region. But you cannot take ag out of the picture - our food and how we grow it is the basis of all life. Covering the Hunter and Mid North Coast rural issues is now part of my role with ACM.
