Business Hunter backs applying a similar transition framework used for power station workers to the broader mining sector as a practical solution.

Close to 1,000 jobs could be affected by Bayswater’s closure, while more than 12,000 could be displaced by the Mt Arthur and Mangoola mine shutdowns, highlighting the regional scale of potential losses.

The Mining and Energy Union notes the coal export sector’s structural decline under net-zero policies and other challenges, supporting broader eligibility for transition programs.

Government projections suggest demand for coal and gas exports could fall by up to half by 2030, reinforcing calls to widen transition support to export miners.

Unions, business groups, and local governments are urging the federal government to extend the Energy Industry Jobs Plan to export coal miners and other emission-intensive workers facing decarbonisation.

Momentum is growing among regional stakeholders to include export miners in the federal transition scheme, noting that roughly 90% of the region’s coal is shipped overseas and the industry is in decline, though exports may continue into the mid-century.

Local leaders argue for a level playing field, with the Muswellbrook Shire Mayor calling the current arrangement two-tier and insufficient for export mine workers who face transition needs.

The Energy Industry Jobs Plan, launched in 2024, currently targets workers at closing coal-fired plants and affiliated mines for upskilling and transition support.