Work Force

Smart

The diversity of industry is complemented by world-class education and training institutions with direct links to business. The University of Newcastle is one of Australia’s top ten research universities and the most popular university in NSW for student enrolments, while the Hunter Institute is NSW’s largest TAFE.

Affordable

Labour costs in the Hunter region are comparatively more affordable. In 2001, levels of earnings in the Hunter were 11 per cent below the NSW average, while labour costs are 17 per cent lower than Sydney's. In industries such as Information Technology, salary rates in the Hunter are half those of Sydney.

Diverse

The Hunter’s ready workforce spans manufacturing as well as service and technology related industries.

Growing

The Hunter has faster employment growth rates than NSW in knowledge-intensive industries with a high degree of manufacturing value including:

• Industrial machinery and equipment
• Electronic equipment
• Motor vehicles and parts
• Photographic and scientific equipment
• Medicinal and pharmaceutical
• Plastic products

Industrial Relations

The Hunter leads Australia in its co-operative approach to Industrial Relations. Under the Federal Government’s Workplace Relations act, union membership is now a matter of individual choice.

Large employers tend to work closely with the unions to deliver large projects on time and on budget, and the HEZ team can facilitate meetings and link you with all relevant unions.

Unions within the Hunter region work together under the auspices of the Newcastle Trades Hall Council, and works closely with the NSW Labour Council and the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

Manufacturing and Trade Skills

The Hunter Region’s workforce has honed its skills on large steel, aluminium, ship building, and coal enterprises, and industry continues to play a major role in the regional economy and workforce.

Today the Hunter produces 90 per cent of NSW’s electricity, smelts 35 per cent of Australia’s aluminium, and has an export coal industry worth $5 billion a year, creating a large manufacturing labour pool.

Growing up around a handful of large employers, Hunter manufacturing diversified, and today there are literally thousands of small-to-medium enterprises in the Hunter that are export-focused innovative high tech businesses.

With jobs highly valued in the Hunter, you’ll find local workers are skilled, loyal and keen.

Your company may save between 5 per cent and 19 per cent in manufacturing labour costs by operating at HEZ rather than in a metropolitan location. Note that percentage savings are dependent on manufacturing type. Contact the HEZ team to compare rates.

Hunter Plant Operator Training School Ltd (HPOTS Training) based in Cessnock has an international reputation in training operators of heavy construction and mining equipment and giving corporations throughout Australia access to this skilled workforce. HPOTS is currently managing 700 trainees.

Because of the Hunter’s industrial and trade strengths, it has highly sophisticated services and skills in logistics management, particularly transport, storage and supply chain.

Telecom Skills

Call Centres

Large vibrant local call centres such as NIB Health, AAMI, Commonwealth Bank, Energy Australia and Australian Wine Selectors mean at least 3,000 people are already employed on a part or full-time basis in the Hunter’s call centre industry.

Research reveals that Hunter call centre staff turnover rates run approximately 5 percent per annum compared to metropolitan rates that are up to 50 per cent per annum.

Further research shows that a 200-seat call centre relocating to the Hunter can save more than $1 million a year in overall costs by operating in the Hunter over a metropolitan location.

Information Technology

With more than 250 Hunter companies deriving their livelihoods solely from Information Technology, there are strong skills in:

• E-commerce
• Web development
• Engineering control IT
• Systems support
• Telecommunication IT applications
• Large scale corporate IT implementation

Average salaries of Hunter-based IT specialists compared to their Sydney-based colleagues shows marked labour cost reductions.

Information Technology Specialty	Salary savings in the Hunter compared to the Sydney Labour Market
Systems Administrator	33%
Unix Systems Administrator	40%
Systems Analyst	up to 36%
Project Manager	up to 45%

Source: Hunter Economic Development Corporation 2004

Telecommunications

With Telstra providing call centre and technical service for much of Northern NSW through its Hunter operations, skills in this area are plentiful.

Newcastle-based NBN Television (affiliated with the Nine Network) telecasts to much of NSW and recently won a contract to supply ABC programming to Asia. NBN is also a training-ground for telecommunication specialists.

Commercial Support Services

The Hunter has a highly qualified professional sector with local knowledge and access to local and metropolitan business networks.

For example, the region has both home-grown and multi-national companies in:

• Accountancy and business advice
• All facets of law
• Human resource, training and recruitment
• Information technology
• Support services for manufacturing, logistics, engineering, building, and construction

Education and Training

Hunter Institute

Offers more than 500 courses to over 53,000 students across 16 campuses in the region, with the Institute’s Kurri Kurri campus just five minutes from HEZ.

Hunter Institute customises education and training for different regional employers, offering workforce training and service agreements with industry.

It is known as a national training leader in:

• Engineering and manufacturing
• Information and communication technology
• Business
• Maritime industries
• Composite materials
• Tourism and hospitality

The Kurri Kurri TAFE campus specialises in:

• Heavy vehicle transport
• Mining
• Environment
• Horticulture, viticulture and wine making

Hunter Institute has partnered with the following major Hunter companies to ensure they had the people with the right skills:

• Tomago Aluminium
• Primo Australia Scone Abbatoirs
• United Goninan
• Hydro Aluminium
• Serco Defence Services
• Cypress Lakes Resort Pokolbin

Case Study – Tomago Aluminium

Hunter Institute had a partnership spanning six years, training more than 500 Tomago staff. Teaching staff from the Business, IT and Engineering schools were on-site to train staff. Results for the company included significant cost savings, less need for contractors, and a path for staff accreditation and advancement.

University of Newcastle

• Is one of Australia’s top ten research universities and features:
• Two campuses – Newcastle and Ourimbah on the Central Coast
• Five faculties – Engineering and Built Environment, Business and Law, Science and Information Technology, Education and Arts, Health
• 22,000 students
• Graduate School of Business
• The University of Newcastle Research Associates Ltd (TUNRA)
• Conservatorium of Music

The University’s emphasis on industrial training and the opportunity to obtain first-hand research and hands-on experience in any number of local industries is a boon to companies, students and researchers.

As a resource to business and industry, it offers education, training and development by way of:

• Industry partnerships
• Consultancy in a diversity of disciplines
• Industry based short-courses for management and professionals
• Research and development
• Delivery on campus, offshore, distance learning and internet access

It is known as a leader in research and education in Engineering, Built Environment, and Health.

HEZ is able to assist in arranging training for HEZ based employees.

Hunternet

Manufacturing is strongly represented by groups such as Hunternet – a network of over 60 local manufacturing, engineering, and IT companies who also employ 60 apprentices a year.

Hunternet strengthens member companies through networking and development in marketing, purchasing, trade missions, tendering and joint project bids.

Infrastructure

‘At a unique intersection of road, rail, gas, power and fibre optics’

Rail

Rail links with the national grid. Rail links with excess container capacity to Newcastle, Port Botany and Western Sydney. National rail lines adjoin HEZ, with an easement for a rail spur into the site available (upgrade may be required dependant on the user).

Roads

Highway and freeway access to all Australian states, at the centre of the large consumer market – Brisbane to Adelaide.

Main arteries, the F3, New England Highway and Pacific Highway are all about 12 minutes from HEZ. HEZ is just 3 kilometres from the proposed F3 extension to Branxton, set to open up Western NSW to the coast. HEZ is designed for up to B-triple sized vehicles.

Travel times by road to key locations from HEZ are conservatively estimated as follows:

Location	Distance(km)	Travel (hr:min)
Newcastle	38	35
Sydney CBD	146	1:42
Parramatta	144	1:40
Brisbane	805	9:50
Melbourne	992	10:30
Canberra	159	2:00
Liverpool	147	1:40
Blacktown	175	2:10
Penrith	357	4:50

Gas

Ample competitively priced gas for even the largest user is available. A dedicated high-pressure gas pipeline to HEZ planned for operation in 2008.

Power

• 1 MVA power now.
• 5 MVA power to follow in March 2007.
• 20 MVA power on demand.

Cable

• The Sydney to Brisbane fibre-optic link runs through HEZ, ideal for rapid data transfer to capital cities.
• High-speed broadband services.
• Access to Southern Cross cable available to super-users.

Other services

Port of Newcastle

• Deep water port just 30 minutes from HEZ
• NSW’s next major shipping container centre
• Hunter low cost area for importing/exporting and shipping businesses
• Shipping 73.8 million tonnes a year
• The world’s biggest coal export port

Newcastle Airport

• Just 30 minutes from HEZ
• Direct flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Canberra
• Intra NSW flights to regional centres
• Serviced by Qantas and Virgin Blue
• Cessnock Airport

On-site helipad planned for HEZ.

Region

A great place to live

The Hunter is a booming region with a fantastic climate, beautiful surroundings and a population that enjoys a relaxing coastal and rural lifestyle.

The Hunter Region of New South Wales is a river valley 180 kilometres long and 200 metres wide long.

It is on the Pacific Ocean on Australia’s east coast between 31.5 and 33 south and 150 and 152 east, with a sub-tropical climate.

This region has Australia’s largest regional population with 570,000 people. Its capital, Newcastle (just 30 minutes drive from HEZ) is Australia’s largest non-metropolitan city and the nation’s sixth largest city.

The Hunter has bucked the trend of regional centres close to metropolitan areas, keeping a separate identity, economy, and workforce.

Community leaders are now positioning the Hunter as a satellite hub to Sydney for entrepreneurship, trade, and research. A plan to make the Port of Newcastle at the mouth of the Hunter River, NSW’s next major shipping container port, is cementing this push.

Mines, wines, and people

HEZ is located in the Cessnock Local Government Area - home to over 45,000 people.

Here the mellow curving valleys of Pokolbin’s world-famed wine district give way to proud former mining cities and towns such as Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Stanford Merthyr, Abermain and Pelaw Main.

Its people reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of strong industries such as wine and manufacturing and, at the same time, down-to-earth no-nonsense qualities.

Village residents enjoy rural living with its fresh air, more sedate pace, and freedom, while the City of Cessnock’s Vincent Street offers alfresco dining.

Investment in Cessnock over recent years has exceeded all expectations with an 80 per cent increase in development approvals by Cessnock City Council in just two years.

In fact, Cessnock has been Australia’s second best economic performer of the past five years according to the 2003 State of the Regions report, growing faster than areas such as Ballarat in Victoria and Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Most Cessnock people have welcomed the HEZ project with open arms as it holds the promise of solid industrial and commercial jobs for their sons and daughters.

Cessnock along with Port Stephens and Maitland achieved a 2.1% population growth rate during July 2002 and June 2003, this being the highest population rate in the Hunter region.

Cessnock Local Government Area currently has a workforce of approximately 15,700 people (residing in the LGA). With up to 15,000 people expected to work on HEZ, employment in the LGA would almost double.

Tourism and Recreation

Your staff will want to play as well as work here.

Wonderful beaches to the east, the calm waters of Lake Macquarie to the south; the bays of Port Stephens to the north; and the famous Hunter vineyards and productive land to the West… nestled in gentle mountains.

Just a few minutes drive from HEZ is Pokolbin - Australia’s oldest wine growing district, it’s the undisputed cellar door capital and offers a gourmet lifestyle with some of the nation’s best restaurants. Pokolbin alone boasts 50 wineries with dozens of world-class resorts, prestige golfing and bed and breakfasts – all scattered throughout rolling vine-covered hills.

The Hunter’s Semillons Variatel Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are now international success stories.

Sandy beaches stretch the length of the Hunter’s coastline, recently found to be the most pristine on the NSW coast.

The Barrington Tops are less than an hour from HEZ and provide endless walking trails through stunning world-heritage listed mountain scenery.

Nearby Maitland and surrounding villages like Morpeth are heritage treasures with stone mansions that have survived from the early 19th Century.

An hour north of HEZ is Port Stephens a deep safe waterway twice the size of Sydney Harbour, where dolphins trail every boat seen on these tranquil waters.

The Hunter’s Myall Lakes is one of the largest water systems on the New South Wales coast. You’ll find sandy, shallow shores, sheltered spots, and safe swimming. Surrounding the lakes is the Myall Lakes National Park – rainforest and wilderness with a myriad of Australian native animals.

Newcastle’s Foreshore district regularly attracts tens of thousands of people for holiday celebration concerts, firework displays, and picnics. The new Honeysuckle area is transforming the city with markets, restaurants, hotels, playgrounds and parks.

Schools and University

The Hunter is fast becoming a centre for educational excellence, offering innovative educational options for students and scoring international research successes.

There are over 67,000 students enrolled at more than 300 Hunter primary and secondary schools. The Hunter’s public and private schools include several grammar schools and a range of Catholic, Anglican, and other specific purpose schools. There are also academically streamed government schools.

The Hunter is consistently represented amongst NSW’s top Higher School Certificate students.

The Hunter Institute (TAFE) offers a range of flexible full-time and part-time courses from vocational education through to trade level, associate diploma and certificate levels to some 50,000 students a year.

Faculties include:

• Access and general education
• Arts and media
• Business
• Engineering
• Health and community services
• Information and communications technology
• Primary industry construction and environment
• Tourism and hospitality
• Transport and maritime services

The University of Newcastle has 22,000 students, two campuses, and five faculties:

• Business and Law
• Education and Arts
• Engineering and Built Environment
• Health
• Science and IT

One of its high profile success stories is the University’s medical school, which ushered in a new era of problem-solving medical training internationally.

There are a substantial number of students undertaking PhDs, Masters, and Doctorates at the University.

Where to Live

In a survey by popular finance magazine Australian Business Monthly, Newcastle was named as the nation’s best city.

The magazine polled people on 17 criteria from employment, house prices and wages through to hospitals, schools and lifestyle. Newcastle was found to be the best city in Australia to live in, and Maitland, just north of HEZ, came in third.

The Hunter boasts affordable residential choice, accommodation and building sites. With the Hunter’s median house prices around half of Sydney’s, workers will enjoy Hunter life with less financial pressure.

You can choose from five acre rural blocks to houses perched over ocean, bay or lake; a semi-detached Federation in inner Maitland or Cessnock; or a brand new home from one of the new housing estates springing up around Kurri Kurri.

Currently, the Hunter’s median house price is $260,000 compared to a median house price for NSW of $362,000 and for Sydney of $470,000 (September 2003).

Booming Economy

The Hunter is now one of the most successful economic and consistent performers in regional Australia. It is fast becoming Sydney’s expansion zone.

The Hunter has grown faster than the rest of Australia in the service sector – education, health, and tourism, and the region’s manufacturing has transformed itself, particularly in knowledge intensive areas.

Major industrial projects such as Tomago Aluminium , One Steel, Donhad and Comsteel have diversified the region’s industrial credentials.

It has built on traditional strengths in manufacturing, mining, and maritime services, to enter new export markets in wine, horse bloodstock, call centres and film and television.

Today the Hunter is home to 110 wineries producing 40 million litres of wine a year.

Environmental Masterplan

HEZ’s combination of ecology and economy heralds a new approach that will set new environmental standards for similar developments across NSW.

As one of Australia’s most significant commercial and industrial zones, HEZ covers an area of 3,200 hectares ­ around 70 percent of the Zone (2,300 hectares) is dedicated as a green buffer of forest and rural land.

In fact in 2001, HEZ embarked on a first for Australia by developing an Ecological Constraints Master Plan (ECMP) for the entire site. It has since won numerous industry awards.

The ECMP is a comprehensive audit of plant and animal life and their habitats within the developable area of 900 hectares. This will minimize unnecessary environmental stress, whilst enabling authorities to readily determine and then approve plans for operation of business and industry at HEZ.  HEZ aims to protect the environment while allowing for fast-tracking development.

Field Surveys

In fieldwork, ecologists used the latest GPS/GIS technology to log flora and fauna and habitat features in 150 square metre grids. This data was used to form the Geographic Information System. The modelling program assists in determining the most appropriate locations for development, and the ecological impact, if any, of such projects.

The ECMP work is improving the data held by National Parks and Wildlife and bringing a balance to the influence of the environment on job-generating development.

Winner of the 2003 Lower Hunter Environmental Excellence in Business Award and the NSW Institution of Surveyors 2003 Environmental Planning and Sir Thomas Mitchell Awards.