NSW Miners Lose 1500 Mining Jobs

Over 1500 mining jobs will be lost in NSW in the following year, following budget estimates that have yet to undergo a parliamentary hearing.

Chris Hatcher, the minister for Energy and Resources was with some miners yesterday and was grilled about the status of their employment. The minister couldn’t provide them a concrete number for the budget and its losses.

A spokesperson asked, “You don’t know how many job losses as a result of the downturn in the coal sector?” but the minister’s reply was vague, “Look, it’ll be 100 per cent job losses if you and Labor ever get into power again.”

Later, however the minister made it clear during the hearing that about 1476 jobs will be affected, while 709 contractors and suppliers will lose their rights. This has been attributed to the downturn of commodity prices.

The minister added, “It’s the coal mining (specifically) that’s affected.”

“We’re determined to maintain the mining industry in this state.”

“But the decisions of individual companies, of course, are made by them, and the government’s only aware of them once they’re announced.”