NSW Greens energy strategy would slash jobs and trash the economy

By their own admission the Greens’ policy to kill off the coal industry, launched today, would slash thousands of jobs in NSW and cost taxpayers over $147 billion to 2031 – that’s without including losses in mining royalties, currently returning around $1.3 billion each year to the State Budget. 

“Real action to reduce pollution and emissions requires real solutions, not expensive fantasies as proposed by the Greens,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said today.

“NSW coal currently provides around 84 per cent of our State’s electricity and is the State’s most valuable export.  The Greens’ policy would threaten the State’s electricity supply, export income, and major global trading relationships.

“The Green’s policy would also destroy the regional economies of the Hunter and the Illawarra and the livelihoods of more than 23,000 coal mining workers and their families.  The flow on effect would be to trash thousands more jobs such as in mining supplier businesses right across the economy.

“NSW coal also provides around 29 per cent of Australia’s national energy supply; the Greens’ policy would therefore have dramatic flow-on impacts for the national economy. 

“We should all be passionate about improving the world we live in. But simplistic calls for action that risk electricity supply, jobs and living standards should not be taken seriously,” Mr Galilee said.

Contact: Lindsay Hermes I 

lhermes@nswmining.com.au

 I 0409 758 734