How many Australian jobs does the coal industry support?
The black coal industry directly employs more than 30,000 people, predominantly in New South Wales and Queensland. It’s estimated that at least another 100,000 Australians are indirectly employed by the coal industry. In regional areas such as Queensland’s Bowen Basin, coal is responsible for one in every four jobs.
In brown coal producing states such as Victoria, coal miners are employed by power companies and in industries such as aluminium smelting. Australians in all States provide services to the coal industry, including equipment, transport and insurance. Learn more about the coal industry’s contribution to regional community development.
Australian Coal Industry Employment
An industry commitment to safety
The Australian coal industry is among the most technologically advanced and safety-focused in the world. Australian coal companies adapt the existing rigid government regulatory systems to the differing conditions and circumstances at each mine. They develop and communicate detailed OH&S plans and programmes to all employees, and subject these plans to stringent check and control systems. The result is a level of workplace safety far beyond that of many other coal-producing nations in Asia Pacific and around the world.
How has the global economic slowdown affected coal jobs?
In 2009, demand for coal has declined significantly worldwide, leading to mine closures, postponed projects and thousands of job losses across the Australian coal industry.
In March 2009, Minerals Council of Australia CEO Brendan Pearson explained the impact of the economic slowdown at a time when Australia is planning an scheme:
“There must be a more acute focus on the jobs impact of key Government policies – namely the proposed emissions trading scheme. While the causes of the current downturn are global in nature, the Government must ensure that its own policy plans don’t make the situation worse. Under the proposed emissions trading scheme, more than 90% of Australia’s minerals exports will be exposed to the highest carbon costs in the world.
“The coal export sector alone will confront a $5 billion carbon burden in the first five years of the scheme….There is little doubt the imposition of further significant costs will have an adverse impact on jobs, competitiveness and project viability.2