Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell has described the Minns NSW Labor Government’s coal royalty hike as an ‘outrageously’ lazy effort to fund future budgets.
“I want the Treasurer to explain his claims that the existing royalty system is out of date and that the market has moved on,” Mr Layzell said.
“The 2.6 per cent coal royalties increase from 1 July 2024 will see coal mines of the Singleton and Muswellbrook council areas provide even more cash to the coffers of the State of NSW.”
The NSW Treasury has previously told MPs in writing that the two Hunter Valley local government areas contributed more than 50 per cent of the State’s coal royalty revenue annually.
Published NSW Government figures show NSW Coal Royalties between the 2015-16 and 2021-22 financial years totalled almost $12.5 billion.
“Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey must now come clean with my electorate and NSW regional mining communities on the future for the former Nationals and Liberals Government’s Resources for Regions program,” Mr Layzell added.
“Unless I am mistaken, the change to improve the state’s budget position by more than $2.7 billion over the four years to 2028, is simply about grabbing low hanging fruit to beef-up consolidated revenue.
“I, like a lot of people in NSW, are waiting for Tuesday 19 September to hear more of the Minns Government’s explanation of its budget repair plan.”
Mr Layzell recently told Parliament that the NSW Government needs to acknowledge the Upper Hunter’s ‘lifters’ in the budget by finding money to complete the Muswellbrook Hospital redevelopment which is continuing a decade after planning commenced.
PICTURE CAPTION: Dave Layzell, second from the left, inspecting Bloomfield Collieries’ Rix Creek open cut mine near Singleton in June 2023.
PICTURE CAPTION: Site inspection at Hunter Valley Operations in December 2022 with local dump truck operator Stacey Brown.
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