Mining spending and jobs hit new records in the Central West

Results from the NSW Minerals Council’s latest annual Member Expenditure Survey have confirmed mining’s continued critical economic role in the Central West.

In the last financial year, participating mining companies supported over 6,330 jobs in the Central West, an increase of over 800 jobs compared to the previous year, and the highest number of jobs reported in the thirteen year history of the survey.  This is also the fifth year in a row that mining jobs in the region have been near 5,000 or more.

The same companies also directly injected $1 billion into the Central West economy in the last financial year – the third highest level of spending since the survey was first undertaken in 2012 and the fifth year in a row that mining spending in the region has been at $1 billion or more annually.

Since the survey was first conducted, mining’s direct spending in the region has risen from $858 million to $1 billion.  Mining jobs in the region have almost doubled since the survey was first conducted, from 3,300 up to 6,300 jobs.

The $1 billion of direct mining spending in the Central West last financial year included almost     $502 million on wages and salaries, and $660 million for goods and services purchased from over 1,000 mining supplier businesses across the Central West region.

The $1 billion in direct mining spending last financial year in the region is estimated to have contributed 17% of the GRP of the local economy during this period.

“Mining operations in the Central West are supporting record numbers of local jobs, and record levels of local spending, highlighting the importance of mining for local communities and the region’s economy,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said today.

“The ongoing strength of the mining industry continues to provide a solid foundation for the Central West economy, and with the right policy settings this can continue for many years to come.”