Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 4 February, the people of Newcastle came together with representatives of businesses, industry, workers and environment groups to support the newly gazetted Hunter offshore wind zone and the jobs of the future. I was delighted to stand alongside my community to back the offshore wind zone, declared by the Albanese Labor government, off the coast of Newcastle.

We heard powerful testimonies from Hunter Workers, Hunter Jobs Alliance, Doctors for the Environment Australia, Business Hunter, the Hunter Community Environment Centre, the Maritime Union of Australia, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, as well as Wiradjuri woman, Newcastle City Councillor Deahnna Richardson—all in recognition of the importance of offshore wind opportunities for our region.

The rally also drew support from CFMEU Construction & General, the Electrical Trades Union, the Public Service Association, the National Tertiary Education Union, the Community and Public Sector Union, the New South Wales Teachers Federation, the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association, the Australian Services Union, the United Workers Union and the Independent Education Union, whose members all know the value of this project for workers, for our local economy, for our environment and for the planet.

The declared offshore wind zone stretches over 1,800 square kilometres between Norah Head and Port Stephens, giving us the capacity to generate up to five gigawatts of wind energy, which is almost double the amount that Eraring Power Station currently produces. This is critical for jobs for our future in this region. That's why our community came together, united in our support.