Hunter coal miners earn twice the pay of other workers, audit finds
Almost 70 per cent of Hunter coal miners earn $2,000 weekly, compared with 15.8 per cent in other sectors.
Almost 70 per cent of Hunter coal miners earn $2,000 or more a week, compared with just 15.8 per cent of workers in other Hunter industries. High pay stops coal workers from retraining for other jobs, even where shortages and opportunities exist.
The Future Jobs and Investment Authority looked at the Hunter's coal workforce. Certificate-level qualifications are most common.
About 54.7 per cent of coal workers hold them. About 26.2 per cent have informal or job-specific skills that are not officially recognised.
This may show these workers have experience not captured in standard qualifications. Coal contributes $44.6 billion to the region's output.
Almost 14,000 people work in the sector. The audit will guide government investment in reskilling, training and economic development.
- $2,000 or more
- Weekly earnings threshold
- Almost 14,000
- Coal sector workers
- $44.6 billion
- Economic contribution
- 54.7 per cent
- Certificate holders
Why it mattersPolicymakers now understand the wage block to voluntary change. Reskilling programs must offer similar pay or strong rewards to work.
AustraliaHunter and NSW coal communities will see government investment in retraining and new industries, but transition will be slower and costlier than natural workforce movement.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
