The Hunter's rebirth following the closure of the BHP steelworks should serve as inspiration to meet the challenges of transforming the region into a global leader of the emerging clean energy economy, a new report argues.
But effective state and federal government leadership is essential to help the Hunter realise its potential.
A Plan for the Hunter: Frontier of the new economy, produced by the Committee for the Hunter, outlines a plan to diversify the Hunter economy and support communities and businesses through a period of unprecedented change.
It makes seven recommendations designed to drive a successful social and economic transformation in coming decades.
"The closure of Eraring Power Station and the bold takeover bid for AGL to accelerate the retirement of coal power stations shows that change is coming quicker than anticipated...," Committee for the Hunter chief executive Alice Thompson said.
"Australia's commitments to Net Zero and future competitiveness in a global economy depend on what happens in the Hunter.
Read the full article published in the Newcastle Herald 7th March 2022