Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (19:45):

The Minerals Council of Australia has just released the full report for the New South Wales mining expenditure impact survey for 2021-22. I'm proud to inform the House that mining is alive and thriving, with the report showing that the mining industry contributed a record $16.7 billion across the state, while also supporting 30,981 jobs and 6,833 businesses. It has been shown time and time again that when our economy is going through a hard time it is the mining industry plays a large role in helping us to pull through. And it is no different this time round with the industry providing a record $6 billion in royalties, which is a $2 billion increase from the original New South Wales Treasury budget forecast. Thank goodness for mining.

The Hunter is the heart of the mining industry in New South Wales and the mining industry is the heart of the Hunter. This is once again proven by the results from this report. This report shows that there are 13,580 jobs in the Hunter which are supported by mining companies. This is the second highest number of jobs reported since the survey started being conducted a decade ago. Some parties in this place scream that the decline of the coalmining industry has already begun, but the Hunter is seeing no sign of the decline. We have mines who are seeking extensions out until 2050 and beyond. There are more jobs in this industry this year than there were last year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this indicates growth.

This report also shows that the mining sector injected $6.3 billion into the Hunter economy. This is another element of the industry which has grown, with this number being $200 million higher than the previous financial year and equal to the highest results in a decade. This is also the third year in a row that direct spending in mining has been over $6 billion.

Miners in the Hunter receive over $1.6 billion in wages and salaries. That is $1.6 billion that's gone towards helping families to put food on the table and pay their mortgages. This is the money which is earned by locals in the Hunter and much of it will have gone straight back into local businesses in the Hunter, helping to support the local industries and sectors in my electorate. There was also $4.6 billion which was spent on goods and services from over 3,000 mining supply businesses in the Hunter.

It is clear that the benefits from the mining sector flow right throughout the Hunter. This industry is good for Hunter and it's good for the people of Hunter. I'm proud to have mining in my electorate. Representing this sector and those impacted by it is a responsibility that I take very seriously. The importance of mining in the Hunter cannot be underestimated. The $6.3 billion that it contributed to our economy over the last year makes up almost 30 per cent of the Hunter's gross regional product.

While there is no way to tell what the mining sector will look like in decades to come, one thing is for certain: the mining sector in the Hunter today is strong. And, as the result of this survey shows, over the past year mining in the Hunter has continued to grow. The New South Wales Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said:

Thousands of locals will head to the polls on election day at least partially considering their vote based on who will best support a strong mining sector into the future.

His words could not be any truer. I've said it in this place before and I will say it again: let me assure the voters in my electorate that you will not find a stronger voice for the mining industry and its workers than me. I'm proud to be a Mining and Energy Union member, I'm a proud former coalminer and I'm also proud to be part of a Labor government that lets me fight for this mining sector as much as we need to.

The export market for coal is as strong as it's ever been and for as long as this continues, and it will for years and years to come, I will make sure that the Hunter remains at the forefront of supplying the best and cleanest coal in the world. Thank you to all the dedicated mineworkers in the Hunter and all around Australia for the long hours you all put in, and I hope you all get home safely.