CCA CHAIR VISITS THE HUNTER
18th February 2025
The Committee for the Hunter has hosted a Hunter Itinerary and critical Industry Roundtable, bringing together Chair of the Climate Change Authority (CCA), the Hon. Matt Kean, key Hunter stakeholders and industry leaders to discuss the region’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future.
The Hunter visit included site tours of Orica, Ampcontrol and NIER. It focused on the Hunter’s strengths and opportunities for growth in the face of the global energy transition and upcoming Federal election.
Matt Kean emphasised the urgency of addressing climate change today, not just in the future, highlighting the immediate need to reduce CO2 emissions and meet national targets, including the critical 43% reduction by 2030.
Committee for the Hunter CEO Alice Thompson reinforced the importance of the role of the Hunter in meeting these targets.
“The Hunter is a centre of significant weight in the national economy - with a world-class international port, airport and university. We are an $86 billion economy in transition, supplying up to 40% per cent of NSW energy needs. With our skilled workforce, infrastructure and natural resources, the Hunter has powered the nation’s economy for decades, but we need support.”
Support required in the Hunter was identified as policy input, planning and infrastructure assistance to overcome regulatory delays, clear investment support from the government, employment and supply certainty.
“The Committee for the Hunter’s mission is to drive the region’s transition by addressing job losses in traditional industries while identifying opportunities for growth in emerging sectors. This includes leveraging the region’s capabilities in manufacturing and innovation to transition into a clean energy economy, while ensuring no worker or business is left behind,”
The Committee for the Hunter remains committed to being the vital link between the CCA and local stakeholders, ensuring that the region’s diverse needs are represented in the national climate discussions.
For more information:
Jill Stewart l Committee for the Hunter l jill.stewart@hunter.org.au l 0414 215 285
