Over $270 million was injected directly into the Mid-Western Regional Local Government area during the 2016-2017 financial year from participating mining companies.
The NSW Minerals Council’s latest annual member company expenditure survey found 23 participating mining companies had injected $270.1 million into the area.
“These survey results cover the end of the previous mining downturn and the start of the current recovery and with over $270 million spent by the industry in the Mid-Western Regional LGA during this period it’s clear that mining is a resilient and consistent contributor to the region’s economy,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said.
The survey found the $270.1 million in direct mining spending was made up of $194.8 million in wages to 1,509 full-time employees and $75.3 million in purchases with 334 local businesses.
The number of local direct mining jobs was up by 118 on the previous year and there were also 21 more local businesses supplying the mining industry.
Across the Central West, the survey found that mining companies spent a total of $572.8 million in 2016-17 made up of $393.4 million in wages for 3,549 full-time employees, and $179.4 million in purchases from 872 local businesses, along with community contributions and payments to local government.
There were also 65 more jobs and 139 more businesses in the supply chain across the Central West than a year ago.
This direct spending is estimated to have contributed 8.5 per cent of the Gross Regional Product of the Central West regional economy in 2016-17.
“This survey, now completed for a sixth year, confirms that Mudgee and the Central West continue to depend on mining activity for local jobs, investment and economic growth.
“This ensures the right policy settings for mining will deliver more jobs, more opportunities, and better times for our local mining communities over the long term,” he said.
Source: Mudgee Guardian, 12 May 2018
