From the Secretariat

Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill 2023

DR ELIZABETH GIBSON, General Manager of the CMPA.

As you all would be aware, the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Bill 2023 (the Bill) was passed by the Victorian Parliament on 17 August 2023.

The CMPA’s submission to the Bill may be found on https://cmpavic.asn.au/. A letter received recently from the Minister for Energy and Resources (The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP) outlined the next phases of the process for the Bill’s implementation which takes effect on 1 July 2027.

“Following the passage of the legislation, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) is establishing a team within Resources Victoria that will be responsible for implementing the reforms as a program across Government, including ongoing engagement with key stakeholders including CMPA. This engagement has started and will occur in four phases:

Ongoing – generate awareness of the modernisation of Victoria’s minerals exploration, mining, and quarrying legislation.

Discovery Phase – inform the design of the new system for regulating mines and quarries, so that it meets stakeholder expectations.

Enabling Phase – ensure that all Government regulatory capabilities, capacities and support systems are in place prior to commencement of the framework.

Industry Transition Phase – ensure that resources industry proponents understand the reforms, their roles, and what is required so that they can comply with and benefit from the changes.

Materials to support this major reform will include Codes of Compliance, regulations, standards, and guidelines. These will be developed in consultation with industry, local government, the community, and other stakeholders, ensuring that the detailed reforms receive broad public scrutiny, are effective in their implementation and communities are able to have their say on how the industry is regulated.”

The CMPA supports the principle of responsible, balanced legislation that is in the best interests of the State of Victoria and Australia including the protection of resources that enable extraction of construction materials that is cost efficient to market and to the Victorian taxpayer who is ultimately the end consumer and beneficiary of that resource.

Whilst CMPA did and does not support the Bill (which the Minister’s letter acknowledged) CMPA will endeavour to work with the Government to find the best possible practicable outcomes to ensure maintenance of a vibrant quarry industry allowing choice in quality, type and price in Victoria.

Look out for emails from myself requesting involvement of
Members in the process of the Bill’s implementation.

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