The NSW Government is partnering with coal-producing regions across NSW to deliver on its election commitment to establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority.
The Authority will help guide the future economic development of the four coal mining regions – the Hunter, Central West, Illawarra, and North West – from coal production towards other economic opportunities and employment.
As part of its remit, the Future Jobs and Investment Authority will develop a framework to allow the funding to be spent on projects like infrastructure and post-mining land use planning, skills mapping, feasibility assessments and training programs.
This will be done in concert with the Federal Government’s Net Zero Economy Authority.
Governance framework to support the Authority
The governance framework for the Authority has been designed to ensure community, workers, industry and Government are working together to support the future for coal-producing regions.
The Future Jobs and Investment Authority will include:
- a statutory authority led by a Chief Executive Officer
- an advisory Board who will provide advice to the Minister and the Authority to ensure local input and action is coordinated across all coal regions across the state
- four Local Divisions in each of the four coal-producing regions of the Hunter, Central West, Illawarra and North West with direct representation from coal-producing communities to ensure decisions are informed directly by local needs and priorities.
- The Chairs of the Local Divisions will be appointed to the Board and will advocate on behalf of coal-producing communities.
The Future Jobs and Investment Authority will work across Government to:
- facilitate strategic planning and targeted site activation to enable new and emerging employment-generating industries, including on former mining land
- drive investment attraction activities to support the development of new industries
- develop initiatives to ensure workers are provided with the necessary assistance and opportunities to secure a stable future
- guarantee genuine engagement with local communities to ensure their voices are heard and allow for effective consultation, collaboration and partnerships across all levels of government and with key stakeholders to achieve real outcomes.
Legislation will be introduced to establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority.
Stakeholder engagement
The NSW Government developed the Future Jobs and Investment Authority following extensive consultation which involved:
- four Roundtables held in the Hunter, Central West, Illawarra and North West
- an Issues paper (PDF 15.59MB) released in April 2024. Ninety submissions were received during the consultation process.
- A consultation Outcomes Report released in December 2024.
The Consultation Outcomes Report identified the following themes that were considered in development of the final model:
- Funding
- Statutory body and operational separation
- Local representation
- Ministerial engagement
- Powers to drive investment
- A central role across Government
Funding for coal-producing communities
The NSW Government has committed $27.3 million over four years to fund the establishment of the Authority to support future jobs and industry growth across the four regions.
The NSW Government will continue to set aside $22.5 million each year into a new Future Jobs and Investment Fund. This has been committed for the next four years and will unlock more than $100 million in funding for coal-producing regions.
News and resources
Visit the News and resources page for Future Jobs and Investment Authority media releases and documents.
Contact
For more information on the Future Jobs and Investment Authority Model contact the Future Jobs and Investment Authority team via email at fjia@regional.nsw.gov.au.