Victoria Election Priorities 2022
DR ELIZABETH GIBSON, General Manager of the CMPA submitted the following election priorities to the current government, opposition, and independents.
Key Election Priorities
• Securing supply of extractive resources by:
• Deferring indefinitely the proposed reforms of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 (MRSDA).
• The future Minister for Planning being the responsible authority for Extractive Industry land use in the same way that Renewable Energy Facilities are.
• Simplifying the work plan (extractive industries) statutory endorsement process.
• Removing duplication and provide streamlining between MRSDA and Planning and Environment Act 1987 matters.
• Publishing statistics on tonnages approved by type of extractive resources (exclude wind farm quarries).
• Amending the requirement for the annual resource
calculation for the Work Authority to the meaningful work
plan extraction limit area.
• Recruiting only experienced and qualified inspectors (e.g., mining engineer) as required by the MRSDA.
• Excising/sterilisation of land (inside a Work Authority boundary) from a work plan application is seen as a legitimate means of protecting Aboriginal Heritage.
• Removing the requirement for EPA Financial Assurances for construction and demolition waste recycling.
• Considering, without prejudice, the implementation of recommendations in the CMPA Rehabilitation Project Report (March 2022) https://cmpavic.asn.au/ publications/submissions.
• Setting a timeframe for introduction of a separate Act (from mines) for the extractive industry.
Capacity to meet Demand
• The replenishment of supply of extractive resources is not occurring which will lead to increasing costs for construction materials and hence, housing costs will continue to increase, as demand eventually outstrips supply – especially where competing demand for that resource is being consumed by large projects.
• Quarries need to be located close to where the construction material will be utilised thereby ensuring a lower carbon footprint and less impact on roads as well as cheaper haulage freight costs which carry through to the project and build cost.
• New quarries and existing quarries’ work plan variations would directly contribute to the increasing supply which is a key consideration given that demand is already greater than the highest prediction in the Extractive Resources in Victoria, Demand and Supply Study, 2015-2050
(https://earthresources.vic.gov.au)
(note in other parts of this Study it grossly overestimated the extraction availability of construction materials).
• The revised Rehabilitation Bond Calculator (2021) together with changes in Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 (MRSDA) legislation and policy are seeing increases in bonds exceeding 1000% leading to a barrier to entry and the exit of small to medium quarries from the market.
• Not supported is the proposed MRSDA reform: introduction of a primary duty and removal of the requirement for a Work Plan will not increase supply but will accelerate small to medium privately and family- owned businesses exiting the market.
Below is an extract from the response from Minister for Resources The Hon. Jaala Pulford MP received 25 October 2022.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION – ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF VICTORIAN ELECTION PRIORITIES 2022
Thank you for providing me with a copy of the Construction Material Processors Association (CMPA) Victorian Election Priorities 2022. I acknowledge the important advocacy work that the CMPA has undertaken on behalf of its members during the Victorian Government’s current term in office.
In response to the policy advocacy document provided to me, I appreciate the CMPA’s continued efforts to appropriately advocate for policy reform for its small- to medium-sized operators. It is always useful for government to have clarity on industry priorities in order to deliver useful initiatives such as the Quarry Approvals Coordinator function that was established following the advocacy of key industry bodies, including the CMPA. I note that ongoing consultation on proposed reforms to the works approval process under the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 remains necessary.
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