Well things might be changing for these blokes and they could be getting serious nibbles for jobs instead of undersized fish.

Anecdotally and statistically, the tide on the job front seems to be turning despite four years of bad news and not to mention cyclones and other natural and man-mad disasters.  

A significant rise in the value of coal exports was the primary driver behind Queensland setting another record export total for the 12 months to May 2017 despite the impact of Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

The value of Queensland merchandise exports surged 32.2% – an increase $15.5 billion – in the past year to be $63.4 billion.

“The significant rise was driven largely by an increase in the value of coal exports, primarily hard-coking coal, and to a lesser extent LNG exports,” Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt said.

“This was despite the impacts of TC Debbie, which caused significant disruption to coal exports in the May quarter.

“While the volume of coal exports was down by an estimated 13.4 million tonnes compared to a year earlier, the nominal values were supported by a surge in coal prices.”

Queensland experienced the largest advertising growth on Seek of all the states and territories this June, up 5.2% month-on-month and 17.9% year-on-year, Seek Australia managing director Michael Ilczynski. 

“This annual pace of growth across Queensland is now the strongest since the mining boom peak in 2011,” he said.

The pick-up in advertising across Queensland has been strong in Mackay and the Coalfields and is up 88% year-on-year.

The mining, resources and energy industry enjoyed the largest growth in job advertising in Queensland [up 109% year-on-year], while trades and services offered the most job opportunities [up 46% year-on-year].

NSW’s state budget forecasts an increase in mining royalties by $839 million over the next four years, bringing total royalty revenue to around $6.3 billion – equivalent to 80% of total projected budget surpluses over the forward estimates.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said that 4,400 local coal miners and their families employees live in the electorate of Upper Hunter.

Local mining operations also spend over $800 million a year on supplies with more than 1,600 local supplier businesses in the Upper Hunter electorate, underpinning the strength of the local economy.

Hogsback thinks all this giving a lot of coal miners in the Bowen Basin and Hunter Valley something to smile about. The good old days might be over but at least there seems to be prospects of a better future on the jobs front for some in the industry.