Latest news with #BusinessHunter
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Business owners on board with land use planning committee's proposed way forward
THE Hunter business community is calling for bipartisan support for reforms outlined in a post-mining land use report after the state government adopted all 13 recommendations. In the mix is a skills audit of the state's mining workforce and a review of three key pieces of legislation. Those measures will inform future needs regarding investment in reskilling, training, economic development and future site use, says Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes. "This is really important work to ensure our transition programs are aligned with both the existing skills base and future workforce needs," Mr Hawes said. "We hope to see bipartisan support for the reforms and actions outlined in the report." It will look at what wages and employment conditions are currently industry standard, opportunities for on-site training and skill development, and identify training and education shortages in mining regions. The Beneficial and Productive Post mining Land Use report, tabled in parliament on July 16, has identified three key pieces of legislation for review -the Mining Act, Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and Protection of the Environment Operations Act - to ensure they facilitate opportunities for post-mining land use, Mr Hawes said. The NSW Government has agreed to complete that review by June 2026. "This provides a pathway forward to untangle some of the complex issues identified by the committee to ensure we can unlock opportunities for economically beneficial reuse of mining and related lands in future," Mr Hawes said. The report follows a parliamentary inquiry into the best way to use hundreds of thousands of hectares of land left behind from coal mining closures. The recommendations include continued evaluation of security deposits to determine if they will be sufficient for meeting rehabilitation requirements. It suggests an audit and mapping of industrial sites, surplus and industrial lands for potential repurposing for housing, environmental, educational tourism, sport, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy purposes. It has recommended that the leadership of regional resource and energy transition be elevated to a ministerial and senior departmental working group. In adopting that recommendation, the state government has tasked the newly established Future Jobs and Investment Authority with leading many of the initiatives it has agreed to pursue. Mr Hawes said the Future Jobs and Investment Authority was well-placed to lead postmining land use initiatives given its terms of reference and status as a statutory authority with capacity to coordinate across government agencies. "The actions from this report will provide the new Future Jobs and Investment Authority with plenty of tasks and responsibilities," Mr Hawes said. "Business Hunter and other stakeholders in our region will be keeping a watching brief to ensure the Authority continues to be resourced to get on with the job in timely fashion." THE Hunter business community is calling for bipartisan support for reforms outlined in a post-mining land use report after the state government adopted all 13 recommendations. In the mix is a skills audit of the state's mining workforce and a review of three key pieces of legislation. Those measures will inform future needs regarding investment in reskilling, training, economic development and future site use, says Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes. "This is really important work to ensure our transition programs are aligned with both the existing skills base and future workforce needs," Mr Hawes said. "We hope to see bipartisan support for the reforms and actions outlined in the report." It will look at what wages and employment conditions are currently industry standard, opportunities for on-site training and skill development, and identify training and education shortages in mining regions. The Beneficial and Productive Post mining Land Use report, tabled in parliament on July 16, has identified three key pieces of legislation for review -the Mining Act, Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and Protection of the Environment Operations Act - to ensure they facilitate opportunities for post-mining land use, Mr Hawes said. The NSW Government has agreed to complete that review by June 2026. "This provides a pathway forward to untangle some of the complex issues identified by the committee to ensure we can unlock opportunities for economically beneficial reuse of mining and related lands in future," Mr Hawes said. The report follows a parliamentary inquiry into the best way to use hundreds of thousands of hectares of land left behind from coal mining closures. The recommendations include continued evaluation of security deposits to determine if they will be sufficient for meeting rehabilitation requirements. It suggests an audit and mapping of industrial sites, surplus and industrial lands for potential repurposing for housing, environmental, educational tourism, sport, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy purposes. It has recommended that the leadership of regional resource and energy transition be elevated to a ministerial and senior departmental working group. In adopting that recommendation, the state government has tasked the newly established Future Jobs and Investment Authority with leading many of the initiatives it has agreed to pursue. Mr Hawes said the Future Jobs and Investment Authority was well-placed to lead postmining land use initiatives given its terms of reference and status as a statutory authority with capacity to coordinate across government agencies. "The actions from this report will provide the new Future Jobs and Investment Authority with plenty of tasks and responsibilities," Mr Hawes said. "Business Hunter and other stakeholders in our region will be keeping a watching brief to ensure the Authority continues to be resourced to get on with the job in timely fashion." THE Hunter business community is calling for bipartisan support for reforms outlined in a post-mining land use report after the state government adopted all 13 recommendations. In the mix is a skills audit of the state's mining workforce and a review of three key pieces of legislation. Those measures will inform future needs regarding investment in reskilling, training, economic development and future site use, says Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes. "This is really important work to ensure our transition programs are aligned with both the existing skills base and future workforce needs," Mr Hawes said. "We hope to see bipartisan support for the reforms and actions outlined in the report." It will look at what wages and employment conditions are currently industry standard, opportunities for on-site training and skill development, and identify training and education shortages in mining regions. The Beneficial and Productive Post mining Land Use report, tabled in parliament on July 16, has identified three key pieces of legislation for review -the Mining Act, Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and Protection of the Environment Operations Act - to ensure they facilitate opportunities for post-mining land use, Mr Hawes said. The NSW Government has agreed to complete that review by June 2026. "This provides a pathway forward to untangle some of the complex issues identified by the committee to ensure we can unlock opportunities for economically beneficial reuse of mining and related lands in future," Mr Hawes said. The report follows a parliamentary inquiry into the best way to use hundreds of thousands of hectares of land left behind from coal mining closures. The recommendations include continued evaluation of security deposits to determine if they will be sufficient for meeting rehabilitation requirements. It suggests an audit and mapping of industrial sites, surplus and industrial lands for potential repurposing for housing, environmental, educational tourism, sport, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy purposes. It has recommended that the leadership of regional resource and energy transition be elevated to a ministerial and senior departmental working group. In adopting that recommendation, the state government has tasked the newly established Future Jobs and Investment Authority with leading many of the initiatives it has agreed to pursue. Mr Hawes said the Future Jobs and Investment Authority was well-placed to lead postmining land use initiatives given its terms of reference and status as a statutory authority with capacity to coordinate across government agencies. "The actions from this report will provide the new Future Jobs and Investment Authority with plenty of tasks and responsibilities," Mr Hawes said. "Business Hunter and other stakeholders in our region will be keeping a watching brief to ensure the Authority continues to be resourced to get on with the job in timely fashion." THE Hunter business community is calling for bipartisan support for reforms outlined in a post-mining land use report after the state government adopted all 13 recommendations. In the mix is a skills audit of the state's mining workforce and a review of three key pieces of legislation. Those measures will inform future needs regarding investment in reskilling, training, economic development and future site use, says Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes. "This is really important work to ensure our transition programs are aligned with both the existing skills base and future workforce needs," Mr Hawes said. "We hope to see bipartisan support for the reforms and actions outlined in the report." It will look at what wages and employment conditions are currently industry standard, opportunities for on-site training and skill development, and identify training and education shortages in mining regions. The Beneficial and Productive Post mining Land Use report, tabled in parliament on July 16, has identified three key pieces of legislation for review -the Mining Act, Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and Protection of the Environment Operations Act - to ensure they facilitate opportunities for post-mining land use, Mr Hawes said. The NSW Government has agreed to complete that review by June 2026. "This provides a pathway forward to untangle some of the complex issues identified by the committee to ensure we can unlock opportunities for economically beneficial reuse of mining and related lands in future," Mr Hawes said. The report follows a parliamentary inquiry into the best way to use hundreds of thousands of hectares of land left behind from coal mining closures. The recommendations include continued evaluation of security deposits to determine if they will be sufficient for meeting rehabilitation requirements. It suggests an audit and mapping of industrial sites, surplus and industrial lands for potential repurposing for housing, environmental, educational tourism, sport, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy purposes. It has recommended that the leadership of regional resource and energy transition be elevated to a ministerial and senior departmental working group. In adopting that recommendation, the state government has tasked the newly established Future Jobs and Investment Authority with leading many of the initiatives it has agreed to pursue. Mr Hawes said the Future Jobs and Investment Authority was well-placed to lead postmining land use initiatives given its terms of reference and status as a statutory authority with capacity to coordinate across government agencies. "The actions from this report will provide the new Future Jobs and Investment Authority with plenty of tasks and responsibilities," Mr Hawes said. "Business Hunter and other stakeholders in our region will be keeping a watching brief to ensure the Authority continues to be resourced to get on with the job in timely fashion."
The Advertiser
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Working-age employees opt out of jobs force, as unemployment falls and so do numbers in work
The number of people employed in the Hunter fell notably in May, yet the unemployment rate continued a downward trend - even outpacing state-wide figures - to fall to its lowest point this year. The Hunter's combined unemployment rate fell to 3.7 per cent last month, taking in rates of 3.8 per cent in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 3.4 per cent in the Hunter Valley, suggesting the region may be approaching full employment, according to Business Hunter. Monthly labour force data from the Bureau of Statistics, and Jobs and Skills Australia, present a complex picture, Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes said - one that only makes sense when viewed over the longer term. "Unemployment rates remain very low by historical standards, with a pool of just 13,600 people, which suggests that anyone who wants a job in the region at the moment should be able to find one," he said. "But there are nuances within that assumption, including factors such as underemployment, or a mismatch between the skills in the labour market with some of the jobs on offer." Mr Hawes noted that the monthly improvement in unemployment rates did not result in growth in the total number of people employed in the region, which actually fell by 11,700 in May. The latest figures show lower participation rates in the region, which is the measure of people 15 to 64 years who are either in a job or registered as looking for work, he said. "It indicates that more people of working age have decided to opt out of the labour force altogether - be that permanently or temporarily - most likely to travel, take a career break or early retirement, or attend to other commitments such as family care," he said. The Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index saw a rise of 2.5 per cent in the number of job ads from April to May, suggesting employers continue to fish in the market where the pool of candidates remains relatively modest. While the May figure is 17 per cent down on what job ads were 12 months ago, it remains strong compared to pre-COVID levels, and consistent with markets elsewhere in NSW, Mr Hawes said. The region's youth employment, for residents aged between 15 and 24, also remained tight with an unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent in May, barely changing from 5.4 per cent in April. "It seems the double-digit days of youth unemployment rates are well behind us in the Hunter and the market remains fairly buoyant for those in this cohort looking for work," Mr Hawes said. While month-to-month regional figures could be a volatile measure, Mr Hawes added, the more reliable yearly average was also showing favourable conditions for jobseekers in the region. Still, Muswellbrook and Cessnock were the LGAs with the highest unemployment rates in the December 2024 quarter, measuring 6.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent, according to government data, significantly above the rates of 12 months previous at 4.9 per cent and 4.2 per cent. Health care and social assistance remained the largest employment sector in the region, followed by construction and retail trade, according to REMPLAN data. The number of people employed in the Hunter fell notably in May, yet the unemployment rate continued a downward trend - even outpacing state-wide figures - to fall to its lowest point this year. The Hunter's combined unemployment rate fell to 3.7 per cent last month, taking in rates of 3.8 per cent in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 3.4 per cent in the Hunter Valley, suggesting the region may be approaching full employment, according to Business Hunter. Monthly labour force data from the Bureau of Statistics, and Jobs and Skills Australia, present a complex picture, Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes said - one that only makes sense when viewed over the longer term. "Unemployment rates remain very low by historical standards, with a pool of just 13,600 people, which suggests that anyone who wants a job in the region at the moment should be able to find one," he said. "But there are nuances within that assumption, including factors such as underemployment, or a mismatch between the skills in the labour market with some of the jobs on offer." Mr Hawes noted that the monthly improvement in unemployment rates did not result in growth in the total number of people employed in the region, which actually fell by 11,700 in May. The latest figures show lower participation rates in the region, which is the measure of people 15 to 64 years who are either in a job or registered as looking for work, he said. "It indicates that more people of working age have decided to opt out of the labour force altogether - be that permanently or temporarily - most likely to travel, take a career break or early retirement, or attend to other commitments such as family care," he said. The Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index saw a rise of 2.5 per cent in the number of job ads from April to May, suggesting employers continue to fish in the market where the pool of candidates remains relatively modest. While the May figure is 17 per cent down on what job ads were 12 months ago, it remains strong compared to pre-COVID levels, and consistent with markets elsewhere in NSW, Mr Hawes said. The region's youth employment, for residents aged between 15 and 24, also remained tight with an unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent in May, barely changing from 5.4 per cent in April. "It seems the double-digit days of youth unemployment rates are well behind us in the Hunter and the market remains fairly buoyant for those in this cohort looking for work," Mr Hawes said. While month-to-month regional figures could be a volatile measure, Mr Hawes added, the more reliable yearly average was also showing favourable conditions for jobseekers in the region. Still, Muswellbrook and Cessnock were the LGAs with the highest unemployment rates in the December 2024 quarter, measuring 6.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent, according to government data, significantly above the rates of 12 months previous at 4.9 per cent and 4.2 per cent. Health care and social assistance remained the largest employment sector in the region, followed by construction and retail trade, according to REMPLAN data. The number of people employed in the Hunter fell notably in May, yet the unemployment rate continued a downward trend - even outpacing state-wide figures - to fall to its lowest point this year. The Hunter's combined unemployment rate fell to 3.7 per cent last month, taking in rates of 3.8 per cent in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 3.4 per cent in the Hunter Valley, suggesting the region may be approaching full employment, according to Business Hunter. Monthly labour force data from the Bureau of Statistics, and Jobs and Skills Australia, present a complex picture, Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes said - one that only makes sense when viewed over the longer term. "Unemployment rates remain very low by historical standards, with a pool of just 13,600 people, which suggests that anyone who wants a job in the region at the moment should be able to find one," he said. "But there are nuances within that assumption, including factors such as underemployment, or a mismatch between the skills in the labour market with some of the jobs on offer." Mr Hawes noted that the monthly improvement in unemployment rates did not result in growth in the total number of people employed in the region, which actually fell by 11,700 in May. The latest figures show lower participation rates in the region, which is the measure of people 15 to 64 years who are either in a job or registered as looking for work, he said. "It indicates that more people of working age have decided to opt out of the labour force altogether - be that permanently or temporarily - most likely to travel, take a career break or early retirement, or attend to other commitments such as family care," he said. The Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index saw a rise of 2.5 per cent in the number of job ads from April to May, suggesting employers continue to fish in the market where the pool of candidates remains relatively modest. While the May figure is 17 per cent down on what job ads were 12 months ago, it remains strong compared to pre-COVID levels, and consistent with markets elsewhere in NSW, Mr Hawes said. The region's youth employment, for residents aged between 15 and 24, also remained tight with an unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent in May, barely changing from 5.4 per cent in April. "It seems the double-digit days of youth unemployment rates are well behind us in the Hunter and the market remains fairly buoyant for those in this cohort looking for work," Mr Hawes said. While month-to-month regional figures could be a volatile measure, Mr Hawes added, the more reliable yearly average was also showing favourable conditions for jobseekers in the region. Still, Muswellbrook and Cessnock were the LGAs with the highest unemployment rates in the December 2024 quarter, measuring 6.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent, according to government data, significantly above the rates of 12 months previous at 4.9 per cent and 4.2 per cent. Health care and social assistance remained the largest employment sector in the region, followed by construction and retail trade, according to REMPLAN data. The number of people employed in the Hunter fell notably in May, yet the unemployment rate continued a downward trend - even outpacing state-wide figures - to fall to its lowest point this year. The Hunter's combined unemployment rate fell to 3.7 per cent last month, taking in rates of 3.8 per cent in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 3.4 per cent in the Hunter Valley, suggesting the region may be approaching full employment, according to Business Hunter. Monthly labour force data from the Bureau of Statistics, and Jobs and Skills Australia, present a complex picture, Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes said - one that only makes sense when viewed over the longer term. "Unemployment rates remain very low by historical standards, with a pool of just 13,600 people, which suggests that anyone who wants a job in the region at the moment should be able to find one," he said. "But there are nuances within that assumption, including factors such as underemployment, or a mismatch between the skills in the labour market with some of the jobs on offer." Mr Hawes noted that the monthly improvement in unemployment rates did not result in growth in the total number of people employed in the region, which actually fell by 11,700 in May. The latest figures show lower participation rates in the region, which is the measure of people 15 to 64 years who are either in a job or registered as looking for work, he said. "It indicates that more people of working age have decided to opt out of the labour force altogether - be that permanently or temporarily - most likely to travel, take a career break or early retirement, or attend to other commitments such as family care," he said. The Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index saw a rise of 2.5 per cent in the number of job ads from April to May, suggesting employers continue to fish in the market where the pool of candidates remains relatively modest. While the May figure is 17 per cent down on what job ads were 12 months ago, it remains strong compared to pre-COVID levels, and consistent with markets elsewhere in NSW, Mr Hawes said. The region's youth employment, for residents aged between 15 and 24, also remained tight with an unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent in May, barely changing from 5.4 per cent in April. "It seems the double-digit days of youth unemployment rates are well behind us in the Hunter and the market remains fairly buoyant for those in this cohort looking for work," Mr Hawes said. While month-to-month regional figures could be a volatile measure, Mr Hawes added, the more reliable yearly average was also showing favourable conditions for jobseekers in the region. Still, Muswellbrook and Cessnock were the LGAs with the highest unemployment rates in the December 2024 quarter, measuring 6.8 per cent and 5.5 per cent, according to government data, significantly above the rates of 12 months previous at 4.9 per cent and 4.2 per cent. Health care and social assistance remained the largest employment sector in the region, followed by construction and retail trade, according to REMPLAN data.
The Advertiser
21-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Trump, tariffs and more: why Hunter business confidence is shaken
Global uncertainty has seen business confidence drop in the region, breaking with past quarters of cautious optimism. The shift has been attributed to the growing impact of day-to-day business pressures, as customers and businesses locally feel the trickle-down effects of the Trump administration's on-again-off-again tariffs and erratic presence on the international stage, and escalating tensions in the Middle East. At street level in Newcastle, business owners say the pinch is not being felt directly but there is an aftertaste. "Our space does not scream politics," Bank Corner Espresso Bar owner Alyssa Salamon said. Since taking over the space on Bellevue Street in 2024, she has made a point of trying to avoid dragging the digitally propelled political world into the cafe. Still, as uncertainty increases, it has seeped in at the edges. "It has been just that commonality of themes in conversation popping up around the place," she said. "Or people who I would not have expected to have been so affected by it making comments about having had losses." Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes singled out Trump's tariffs and their effect on international markets as a driver of uncertainty revealed in the results of the second Business NSW Business Conditions Survey for the year. "Over 50 per cent of businesses said they had seen a change in customer behaviour as a result of global economic uncertainty and nearly 30 per cent had noted changes in supplier behaviour," he said. Mr Hawes said the bread-and-butter issues of business including increasing insurance and energy costs, taxes and levies and red tape were also weighing heavily on business operators' minds and bottom lines. "Insurance remains the number one cost pressure, with nearly 70 per cent of businesses across NSW reporting that they had undertaken a budget reallocation to account for higher insurance costs," Mr Hawes said. Business hiring dropped off across the survey period. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie only 19 per cent of businesses employed new staff in the three-month period. In the Hunter Valley, that figure was 11 per cent. Statewide, 27 per cent of businesses reduced their headcount. In the region those figures were 29 per cent (Newcastle and Lake Macquarie) and 40 per cent (Hunter Valley). Mr Hawes said reforms to worker compensation and the Emergency Services Levy were two measures the NSW government could take quickly to ease financial pressure on businesses. "To tackle soaring insurance costs, the NSW government must fast-track reforms to the Emergency Services Levy, which is collected largely through insurance policies and adds nearly a quarter to premiums," Mr Hawes said. "NSW is the only state that funds emergency services through a tax on insurance premiums. A fairer collection system would provide vital relief to thousands of businesses struggling to stay afloat. "Passing the workers compensation reforms through the NSW Parliament at earliest opportunity will also help ease the cost burden on businesses." Global uncertainty has seen business confidence drop in the region, breaking with past quarters of cautious optimism. The shift has been attributed to the growing impact of day-to-day business pressures, as customers and businesses locally feel the trickle-down effects of the Trump administration's on-again-off-again tariffs and erratic presence on the international stage, and escalating tensions in the Middle East. At street level in Newcastle, business owners say the pinch is not being felt directly but there is an aftertaste. "Our space does not scream politics," Bank Corner Espresso Bar owner Alyssa Salamon said. Since taking over the space on Bellevue Street in 2024, she has made a point of trying to avoid dragging the digitally propelled political world into the cafe. Still, as uncertainty increases, it has seeped in at the edges. "It has been just that commonality of themes in conversation popping up around the place," she said. "Or people who I would not have expected to have been so affected by it making comments about having had losses." Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes singled out Trump's tariffs and their effect on international markets as a driver of uncertainty revealed in the results of the second Business NSW Business Conditions Survey for the year. "Over 50 per cent of businesses said they had seen a change in customer behaviour as a result of global economic uncertainty and nearly 30 per cent had noted changes in supplier behaviour," he said. Mr Hawes said the bread-and-butter issues of business including increasing insurance and energy costs, taxes and levies and red tape were also weighing heavily on business operators' minds and bottom lines. "Insurance remains the number one cost pressure, with nearly 70 per cent of businesses across NSW reporting that they had undertaken a budget reallocation to account for higher insurance costs," Mr Hawes said. Business hiring dropped off across the survey period. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie only 19 per cent of businesses employed new staff in the three-month period. In the Hunter Valley, that figure was 11 per cent. Statewide, 27 per cent of businesses reduced their headcount. In the region those figures were 29 per cent (Newcastle and Lake Macquarie) and 40 per cent (Hunter Valley). Mr Hawes said reforms to worker compensation and the Emergency Services Levy were two measures the NSW government could take quickly to ease financial pressure on businesses. "To tackle soaring insurance costs, the NSW government must fast-track reforms to the Emergency Services Levy, which is collected largely through insurance policies and adds nearly a quarter to premiums," Mr Hawes said. "NSW is the only state that funds emergency services through a tax on insurance premiums. A fairer collection system would provide vital relief to thousands of businesses struggling to stay afloat. "Passing the workers compensation reforms through the NSW Parliament at earliest opportunity will also help ease the cost burden on businesses." Global uncertainty has seen business confidence drop in the region, breaking with past quarters of cautious optimism. The shift has been attributed to the growing impact of day-to-day business pressures, as customers and businesses locally feel the trickle-down effects of the Trump administration's on-again-off-again tariffs and erratic presence on the international stage, and escalating tensions in the Middle East. At street level in Newcastle, business owners say the pinch is not being felt directly but there is an aftertaste. "Our space does not scream politics," Bank Corner Espresso Bar owner Alyssa Salamon said. Since taking over the space on Bellevue Street in 2024, she has made a point of trying to avoid dragging the digitally propelled political world into the cafe. Still, as uncertainty increases, it has seeped in at the edges. "It has been just that commonality of themes in conversation popping up around the place," she said. "Or people who I would not have expected to have been so affected by it making comments about having had losses." Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes singled out Trump's tariffs and their effect on international markets as a driver of uncertainty revealed in the results of the second Business NSW Business Conditions Survey for the year. "Over 50 per cent of businesses said they had seen a change in customer behaviour as a result of global economic uncertainty and nearly 30 per cent had noted changes in supplier behaviour," he said. Mr Hawes said the bread-and-butter issues of business including increasing insurance and energy costs, taxes and levies and red tape were also weighing heavily on business operators' minds and bottom lines. "Insurance remains the number one cost pressure, with nearly 70 per cent of businesses across NSW reporting that they had undertaken a budget reallocation to account for higher insurance costs," Mr Hawes said. Business hiring dropped off across the survey period. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie only 19 per cent of businesses employed new staff in the three-month period. In the Hunter Valley, that figure was 11 per cent. Statewide, 27 per cent of businesses reduced their headcount. In the region those figures were 29 per cent (Newcastle and Lake Macquarie) and 40 per cent (Hunter Valley). Mr Hawes said reforms to worker compensation and the Emergency Services Levy were two measures the NSW government could take quickly to ease financial pressure on businesses. "To tackle soaring insurance costs, the NSW government must fast-track reforms to the Emergency Services Levy, which is collected largely through insurance policies and adds nearly a quarter to premiums," Mr Hawes said. "NSW is the only state that funds emergency services through a tax on insurance premiums. A fairer collection system would provide vital relief to thousands of businesses struggling to stay afloat. "Passing the workers compensation reforms through the NSW Parliament at earliest opportunity will also help ease the cost burden on businesses." Global uncertainty has seen business confidence drop in the region, breaking with past quarters of cautious optimism. The shift has been attributed to the growing impact of day-to-day business pressures, as customers and businesses locally feel the trickle-down effects of the Trump administration's on-again-off-again tariffs and erratic presence on the international stage, and escalating tensions in the Middle East. At street level in Newcastle, business owners say the pinch is not being felt directly but there is an aftertaste. "Our space does not scream politics," Bank Corner Espresso Bar owner Alyssa Salamon said. Since taking over the space on Bellevue Street in 2024, she has made a point of trying to avoid dragging the digitally propelled political world into the cafe. Still, as uncertainty increases, it has seeped in at the edges. "It has been just that commonality of themes in conversation popping up around the place," she said. "Or people who I would not have expected to have been so affected by it making comments about having had losses." Business Hunter boss Bob Hawes singled out Trump's tariffs and their effect on international markets as a driver of uncertainty revealed in the results of the second Business NSW Business Conditions Survey for the year. "Over 50 per cent of businesses said they had seen a change in customer behaviour as a result of global economic uncertainty and nearly 30 per cent had noted changes in supplier behaviour," he said. Mr Hawes said the bread-and-butter issues of business including increasing insurance and energy costs, taxes and levies and red tape were also weighing heavily on business operators' minds and bottom lines. "Insurance remains the number one cost pressure, with nearly 70 per cent of businesses across NSW reporting that they had undertaken a budget reallocation to account for higher insurance costs," Mr Hawes said. Business hiring dropped off across the survey period. In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie only 19 per cent of businesses employed new staff in the three-month period. In the Hunter Valley, that figure was 11 per cent. Statewide, 27 per cent of businesses reduced their headcount. In the region those figures were 29 per cent (Newcastle and Lake Macquarie) and 40 per cent (Hunter Valley). Mr Hawes said reforms to worker compensation and the Emergency Services Levy were two measures the NSW government could take quickly to ease financial pressure on businesses. "To tackle soaring insurance costs, the NSW government must fast-track reforms to the Emergency Services Levy, which is collected largely through insurance policies and adds nearly a quarter to premiums," Mr Hawes said. "NSW is the only state that funds emergency services through a tax on insurance premiums. A fairer collection system would provide vital relief to thousands of businesses struggling to stay afloat. "Passing the workers compensation reforms through the NSW Parliament at earliest opportunity will also help ease the cost burden on businesses."
