
With $19.7 billion announced for the Future Made in Australia initiative, the 2024-25 federal budget is a good sign for the Hunter's economic diversification away from fossil fuels. This will enable the region to remain a global energy and cleantech hub. Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) recognises the significant effort to drive action on the ground in industrial heartlands such as the Hunter.
But the true measure of the budget will be in how quickly these investments hit the ground and the detail of key policies.