NSW Parliament urged to pass Future Jobs Bill for Hunter miners

A coalition of groups in the Hunter Valley has written to the New South Wales government urging the swift passage of the Future Jobs and Investment Bill. The legislation would require mining companies to give a three‑year notice before closing a mine and to prepare a transition plan for workers facing redundancy.

The bill, introduced in November 2025 and passed by the lower house, has stalled in the upper house since March. Lawmakers argue that delays are already causing hardship, citing the early closure of the Ashton coal mine and the pending decision by the Independent Planning Commission on the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) continuation project, scheduled for early September. If enacted, the bill would compel the HVO operator, Glencore, to develop and obtain government approval for a workforce transition plan.

Hunter Renewal coordinator Steve Phillips and Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper have both criticised what they describe as “political games”, warning that without the bill workers at HVO could be left without support on a much larger scale.