“Not a just transition”: Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns dissapointed by Premier Coal’s surprise job cuts

The town of Collie will be hit with job losses sooner than expected as a result of the energy transition, with at least 120 roles set to go as Premier Coal revealed it would start scaling back mining operations. The open cut mine — operated by Australian Securities Exchange-listed Yancoal Australia —supplies thermal coal to power the State’s South West electricity grid and employs about 500 workers and contractors. A Premier Coal spokesman confirmed to The West Australian that local workers would be affected by the decision to reduce operations over the coming weeks, with contractors and labour hire staff set to go first. “In response to conditions influencing the Western Australian coal supply market and following an extensive operational review, Premier Coal is proposing to reduce its operations,” he said. There could be more job losses to come as the company “continues to review operations, including workforce requirements”. Making sure there are new industries and job prospects for the regional town while it bears the brunt of WA’s transition has been a sensitive topic for the Government, which says it has ploughed $692 million into delivering a “just transition”. Speaking to reporters, Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns said the decision to cut roles was not a “just transition” for those impacted. “We’ve supported Griffin Coal in terms of its ongoing operations making sure that we retain jobs and secure the energy system in WA — we make no apologies for making sure that our priority is the workers,” she said. “It is really important to understand that yesterday’s announcement was a commercial decision by a private company, and it’s very disappointing from Government’s perspective.” Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said the State Government stands ready to work with the workforce for redeployment or other opportunities. “We want to make sure we continue to have strong job prospects in the area,” she said. “That’s why we’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the just transition, and we’ll continue to focus to work with both the companies and the workers directly to give them alternative employment opportunities and also give them certainty into the future.” Australian Manufacturing Workers Union State secretary Steve McCartney said members were angry the transition was playing out in this way. “Following the 2022 decision by the WA Government to close State-owned, coal-fired power generation, AMWU members have been concerned that unplanned job losses in the Collie coalfields may occur,” he said. A Premier Coal spokesman said consultation with affected workers started this week. “We recognise the impact the proposed changes will have on our workers, contractors and local community,” they said. “Premier Coal will continue working with the Collie Basin Consolidation Taskforce and collaborating with local Just Transition initiatives established by the Western Australian Government, to support workers and future prospects of the Collie region.” The State Government has been racing to shore up renewable energy and storage projects before WA’s coal-fired power stations Collie and Muja are switched off by 2030. But there had been no definitive timeline from the Government as to when Premier Coal mine might be wound down. Shadow energy minister Steve Thomas said the job losses were “earlier than expected” and likely “just the beginning”. He also questioned why the State Government would continue subsidising Griffin Coal if there was already enough coal stockpiles in WA. “Western Australians will be shocked to learn that at the same time Premier Coal is putting off workers because they have an oversupply of coal stockpiled, the State Government is still giving taxpayers’ money to the State’s other coal miner Griffin to keep mining coal,” he said. “All of which simply indicates the long-term management of the coalfields has been an utter failure.”