The NSW mining lobby has leapt at the chance to congratulate the Greens on what they say is that party’s support for the coal industry.
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The Greens’ Steel Industry Protection Bill passed the NSW Upper House on Thursday.
And the NSW Minerals Council didn’t miss a trick, thanking the party for supporting the coal industry from where the Port Kembla steelworks gets its coal for coke, a vital ingredient in blast furnace steelmaking.
“It’s refreshing to see the Greens stand up for the hard working coal miners of the Illawarra,” NSWMC CEO Stephen Galilee said.
“The coking coal mined in the region directly supports the NSW steel industry. It’s also great to see the Greens recognise the coal industry as … vital to the economic stability of regional NSW, given their previous policy commitments to shut the industry down.
“In the last financial year the mining industry directly spent $901 million [in] the Illawarra on wages and purchases with 62 local businesses.”