Assessing social and economic impacts associated with changes in the coal mining industry in the Bowen Basin on the township of Blackwater

The coal mining industry makes a key contribution to the Queensland and Australian economies, and is the underlying driver of employment and economic conditions in many local and regional communities. However, questions are sometimes raised about the limited economic impact on local areas where mining occurs, particularly when mines are serviced at a distance by fly-in/fly-out, or drive-in/drive-out operations. There is also debate about the potential social impacts of mining that might be imposed on regional communities.