Hunter & Lake Macquarie Power Station Workers: an economic analysis of the requirements for a Just Transition

Report prepared for the Hunter Community Environment Centre by Dr Ingrid Schraner, Lilli Pilli Consulting

 

In 2021, the Hunter Community Environment Centre asked economist and then Research Coordinator of the Coal-ash Community Alliance - how could coal-ash waste recycling work for the Hunter and Lake Macquarie workforce, environment and economy?

Drawing on Census data from 2016 to consider the age, location, income, qualifications, career and training pathways of the power station workforce in the Hunter, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast, the report, Hunter & Lake Macquarie Power Station Workers: an economic analysis of the requirements for a Just Transition puts forward the following cornerstone criteria for flagship projects requiring investment, aimed at supporting current and future generations of skilled workers in the region to prosper;

  • Well-paid, stable and with interesting career progressions

  • Can match current skills and provide training to expand skill bases

  • Are integrated into local economies and prioritize local procurement and manufacturing

  • Make environmental contributions and attain real social licence

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  • Environmental policy settings, the privatisation of power stations and market failures have been holding the Hunter community and environment back from reaping the benefits of increased coal-ash reuse for decades.

  • As the closure of NSW power stations approach, the Hunter community is calling for a sensible solution to ash waste pollution that will see ecosystems recover, and the local skilled workforce supported