WA pushes merger of Griffin Coal and Premier Coal ahead of 2030 coal phase-out

The Western Australian government is urging the two remaining privately owned coal producers—Griffin Coal, owned by Indian interests, and Premier Coal, owned by Chinese interests—to merge before the state’s self-imposed 2030 deadline to shut down all state-owned coal-fired power stations. Premier Roger Cook described the consolidation as “self-evident” and said the companies will negotiate independently, but the state will facilitate the process.

The combined entity would feed coal to the privately operated Bluewaters power plant, and the merger is expected to create economies of scale and allow older workers to retire while retaining skilled staff. The state has already injected $240 million to keep Griffin Coal afloat and plans to cease further subsidies, prompting Labor MP Jodie Hanns to call for federal support for transitioning workers. The Collie Basin Consolidation Taskforce, formed in January, recommended the merger, and additional $58 million funding was announced for local infrastructure and workforce transition projects. New industrial proposals such as green steel, graphite processing and magnesium refining are in early stages, raising concerns about timing for job replacements.