Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2026-2027
Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (10:37): Today I want to talk about one of the industries that has helped build our nation and continues to power communities like mine in the Hunter. When people talk about mining, they are not talking about some distant industry. In the Hunter, mining is our neighbours; it is our night shift workers; it is the apprentices starting their careers; it is the small businesses supplying equipment, meals, transport and services; it is the families putting food on the table; and it is the communities that have been built on generations of hardworking Aussies.
Mining matters to Australia and mining matters to the Hunter. Across Australia, the resources sector continues to be one of the biggest contributors to our national prosperity. Resources and energy exports were worth around $385 billion in 2024-25.
The sector contributed more than $50 billion in company tax and almost $22 billion in royalties, helping fund schools, hospitals, roads and services Australians rely on every single day. Mining alone delivered $231 billion in exports last year, and employs more than 310,000 Aussies. It remains Australia's most productive industry, and one of our greatest economic strengths.
But for me, these numbers aren't just national statistics; they have real meaning to me in the Hunter. In my electorate, mining supports thousands and thousands of local jobs. Those workers earn more than $396 million in wages each year, supporting local households, local shops and local communities.
More than 1,000 local suppliers are directly supported by the industry, and mining generates around $2.7 billion in annual direct spending through business purchases—community contributions and payments that all flow back into our region. That's thousands of families who rely on this industry. That's thousands of workers who get up every day, put their boots on and head to work knowing they're helping support their family and contributing to Australia's prosperity.
It's also hundreds of local businesses that rely on a strong resources sector. Whether it's an engineering shop in Mount Thorley, a cafe in Morisset, a transport operator in Cessnock or a family owned business in Singleton, the benefits of mining flow right across our region. That's why we need to have honest conversations about what mining delivers.
Too often people focus only on what comes out of the ground. They forget what flows back into our communities. Mining helps fund Medicare.
Mining helps fund our schools. Mining helps fund our infrastructure. And mining helps fund emergency services and national defence.
According to industry data, Australian mining paid around $74 billion in taxes and royalties in a single year. That's money that helps deliver the services Australia depends on every single day. The Hunter understands that better than most.
We know that a strong resources sector and a strong future go hand in hand. We know that skills developed in mining today will help build the industries of tomorrow, and we know that, as the world changes, Australia has an enormous opportunity to remain a global resources powerhouse. Australia is already a world leader in iron ore, metallurgical coal, lithium and mineral sands.
We are also rich in critical minerals that the world needs for advanced manufacturing, renewable technologies and national security. That's why this government has backed the resources sector while investing in Australia's future. Since 2022 the government has announced more than $28 billion to grow Australia's critical mineral industry and strengthen our position in the global supply chains.
For a community like the Hunter, that means opportunity. It means new investment, it means new jobs and it means giving local workers confidence that their skills will continue to be valued for decades to come. The story of the Hunter has always been a one of hard work.
It's a story written by miners, tradies, engineers, machine operators, truckies and small-business owners. It's a story of communities that have helped power Australia for generations. As the member for Hunter, I'll always stand up for those workers and those communities.
When mining succeeds, the Hunter succeeds. When mining invests, local businesses grow. When mining creates jobs, local families benefit.
When mining contributes billions in taxes and royalties, every Australian shares in that success. The Hunter has helped build this country. Our workers have helped power this country, and our mining industry will continue to play a vital role in Australia's future.
To all the miners out there in the Hunter and all around Australia: thank you for what you do. Whilever people want to buy our coal, we will sell them our coal. Whilever there's a demand for it on the international market, we will supply that demand.
Thank you for what you do, day in and day out. Keep up the great work, and I'm looking forward to having a beer with you. Cheers!