Survey confirms mining spending boost and jobs growth in the Illawarra

Survey confirms mining spending boost and jobs growth in the Illawarra

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

In the last financial year, participating mining companies supported over 2,060 jobs in the Illawarra, an increase of over 200 jobs compared to the previous year and only the fourth time in the 12-year history of the survey that job numbers in the Illawarra have surpassed 2,000.

The same companies also directly injected $964 million into the Illawarra economy in the last financial year – an increase of over $160 million on the previous year and the highest level of spending since the 2013-14 financial year.

The $964 million direct mining spending in the Illawarra last financial year included almost $190 million on wages and salaries and $774 million for goods and services purchased from over 400 mining supplier businesses across the Illawarra region.

An economic analysis of these results found that the $964 million direct spending of the 28 participating mining companies in the last financial year contributed 6.7% of the GRP of the Illawarra region’s economy during this period.

Noting recent developments, these results do not include data from Wollongong Resources.

“Mining companies in the Illawarra are spending more in the local region than they have in almost a decade while also supporting an increased number of Illawarra jobs, highlighting the importance of mining for local mining communities and the region’s economy,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said today.

“These very strong results are a timely reminder of the need for policies that support a strong mining sector for the future of the Illawarra.” 

ATTACHMENT – Graphs: Illawarra – total spending, workforce and supplier businesses 2011/12 – 2022/23

ENDS

Brad Emery | NSW Minerals Council | bemery@nswmining.com.au | 0450620254