Call for 'less talk and more action' on transition as 300 mining jobs axed

Hunter Valley leaders and residents are calling for "less talk and more" action from the government as the community looks for its transition away from coal in the face of a mine closure.

On Tuesday, Yancoal told its Ashton coal mine workforce the mine would be closed in January 2028 due to geological issues.

The closure will see a staged process of redundancies for its almost 300 strong workforce, leaving many questioning what their future may look like.

Sixty workers would be made redundant immediately, with a further 69 to go by January next year, the company said.

Singleton mayor Sue Moore said the job losses would be a hit to the community and region at large.

"This is almost 300 jobs being lost from our community, and that is quite a hit," she said.

"But not only will it affect these workers and their families, but it will have a flow-on effect through the community.

"It has a cascading effect, and it is on our door now.

"This is income that goes back into our community through local businesses.

"It is not only locals who will be affected, with people travelling to work in operations like Ashton from other areas of the Hunter."

She said she could recognise the reasons why the mine must now be wound up.

"Obviously there are reasons why this site is having to step back early, and nobody wants miners working in conditions that are no longer safe," she said.

Ms Moore called for more action now to transition the region away from dependence on coal mining operations.

"The idea of transition is great, but it is not happening quickly enough," she said.

"We are going to see more of this happening, and it is going to happen quickly so we need something to transition to.

"People will need other jobs in our communities otherwise, they will begin to have to look elsewhere."

She said councils need action from higher government, not just a plan or buzzwords.

"There are lots of ideas about what this transition will look like but nothing is being started," she said.

"We need less talk and more action."

Business Singleton president Anita White said there would be an immediate flow-on effect on the community.

"There are those 60 jobs that will be immediately taken away from the community," she said.

"Then you have those contractors who operate with Ashton who will face the brunt of this closure and those fringe businesses within the mining sector.

"It will impact people who may have to face a choice of whether they stay and live in Singleton, and with them their families who also contribute to local businesses.

"People also travel into the community to work in the mines here, so you also no longer have that flow through the community."

Ms White echoed the mayor's call for the transition to start now.

"Over the last 10-15 years we have been hearing about the transition and diversification of our economy, but it is time for action now," she said.

"We need more support to draw industries to the area and to show what we are capable of otherwise, it is going to be too late.

"Ashton will be done in 18 months, but what is happening now to create the alternative jobs for these skilled workers?

"We need industry, and we need incentives for them to come here, we need action now."

Nearby Camberwell resident and activist Deidre Olofsson, who has highlighted the environmental and social impact of mining operations in the Hunter since the 1990s, said the geological problems forcing the mine's early closure were foreseeable when the project began.

"They were asking for trouble, travelling under the creeks, so no wonder they ran into problems with the aquifers," she said.

She said she was scared about how much the rehabilitation of the site would cost, how long it would take, and what impact would be left behind.

"This is going to be a mess, and whose responsibility is it really going to be?" she said.

She said the saddest part was what the closure means for the employees.

"These people have homes and mortgages, we are losing jobs everywhere, and where is the transition?"

"The transition should have happened 10-15 years ago," she said.

Hunter MP Dan Repacholi said the announcement was a sad one for the Hunter.

"First and foremost, my thoughts are with the workers, contractors and their families," he said.

"This is a hard day for a lot of good people. These are people with mortgages to pay, bills coming in and kids to support. They deserve honesty, respect and real support."

He said Yancoal had made it clear why it was closing the mine.

"The decision has been driven by geotechnical issues, water problems, safety concerns and the long-term viability of the operation," he said.

"The issue here is what's happening underground. It's not the government turning up and shutting the mine.

"My job is simple. It's to stand up for Hunter workers, protect their entitlements and make sure they get every bit of support available.

"That means working to help people find another job where possible, access retraining, get career advice and make sure support services are there for workers and their families.

"We're already working across government to make sure no one has to face this alone."