The jobs figures – which are 1300 more than at the same time last year – show a strong turnaround in coal prices and increased demand for NSW coal from its key export markets is delivering more coal mining jobs for the state.

“There’s been a sustained recovery in business conditions for coal mining in NSW over the last 18 months, with increased commodity prices delivering jobs in our coal mining regions,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said.  

“Our NSW coal mining communities have done it tough over the past few years, so this jobs boost mining is really good news for local economies.

“Increasing demand for NSW coal means more NSW coal mining jobs. With the right policy settings that make the most of growing opportunities, our coal mining industry can continue to deliver employment, investment and economic stability well into the future.” 

Many of these new coal mining jobs are in the Hunter, with more than 1000 additional local Hunter coal mining jobs than a year earlier, helping to boost the Hunter economy, particularly in mining communities such as Singleton and Muswellbrook.

Galilee said the growth in NSW coal mining jobs was also good news for the more than 8000 businesses in the suburbs of Sydney and across the state that supplied mining operations in NSW.