CMPA NEWS (Issue 74)

New Energy Minister for Victoria

A limited ministerial reshuffle by Victorians Premier, Denis Napthine, in the run-up to this year’s state election has included the appointment of Russell Northe as Minister for Energy and Resources.

Mr Northe was elected the MP for Morwell at the 2006 election and was returned at the 2010 poll. He has served as Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and has now also been given ministerial responsibility for that portfolio.

He succeeds Nicholas Kotsiras as Energy and Resources Minister. Mr Kotsiras was first elected to Parliament in 1999.

He is retiring at this year’s election because of health issues and a desire to
spend more time with his family.

Annual Dinner 2014

SPONSORSHIP for the CMPA AGM & Annual Dinner 2014 will be closing shortly, please contact the Secretariat ASAP to ensure you book the sponsorship package you desire.

As per previous years there are four levels for Members to choose from Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze which all comprise different levels of exposure.

There are also other opportunities to sponsor prizes on the night, such as the early bird and door prizes or certain holes at the golf afternoon.

At present we have 27 Associates committed to the event to be held on Saturday 13th September 2014 at the Pullman Hotel in Albert Park they include

Site Visits – South Western Victoria

Gavin Moreira and Adrian Town (Development Manager) undertook site visits to South Western Victoria over 3 days in early April 2014.

The site visits included voting members as well as potential voting members. Voting members visited included Coragulac Quarries, Coragulac; Cobden Lime; Jancourt; Mibus Bros, Portland; DE Quarry Solutions, Skipton; Eureka Concrete, Ballarat and Walsh Ballarat Quarries, Dunstown. Potential Voting Members included nine sites from Lara to Portland and back up to Ballarat.

Thank you to all voting and Potential voting members for making us very welcome, giving us the opportunity to view your operations and for feedback to us on CMPA.

Investment in rail

DEPUTY Premier Peter Ryan announced that the Victorian Government will invest up to $200 million to deliver key country freight rail line upgrades and build the transformational Mildura to Geelong rail standardisation link.

“The Murray Basin is one of the nation’s leading food production regions, exporting in excess of $3 billion worth of food products and mineral resources per year.

By converting the existing broad gauge tracks to standard gauge, the Murray Basin Rail Project will deliver modern rail infrastructure and transform Victorians freight network to meet the increasing demand for freight services.

The project involves building and upgrading freight lines to 21 tonne axle loading, providing an immediate 15% productivity improvement that will increase train loads by 300 to 400 tonnes.

It will improve transport efficiency and enhance access to the ports of Portland, Geelong and Melbourne for Victorian exports.”

$24 billion investment in transport infrastructure

THE largest investment in transport infrastructure in Victorians history will create tens of thousands of jobs, boost the economy and provide opportunity for Victorians well into this century, Premier Denis Napthine announced.

Dr Napthine said the Coalition Government’s four key infrastructure projects will drive Victorians economic growth for generations to come. They are:

• The $8.5-$11 billion Melbourne Rail Link, including a rail link to Melbourne Airport, will untangle Melbourne’s rail network, providing separated lines and creating a 30 per cent capacity boost;
• The $8-$10 billion Western Section of East West Link will complete the new freeway connection across Melbourne and provide the vital second river crossing to ease congestion on the Westgate Bridge;
• The $2-$2.5 billion Cranbourne Pakenham Rail Corridor Project which will boost capacity on one of Melbourne’s busiest corridors by 30 per cent; and
• The $850 million widening of the City Link-Tullamarine Freeway which will cut travel times on the key route to Melbourne Airport by up to 16 minutes.

VLPA Update by Trevor Tovey

ALL VLPA members are currently very busy producing limestone products for the cropping and pasture plantings for Victorian and Southern New South Wales farmers.

Recently the VLPA had a meeting with a technical Inspector from the Earth Resources team, Workplace Hazards & Hazardous Industries group, under Work Safe Victoria.

This relative new body has six inspectors for Victoria and has the authority to inspect Quarries for health and safety and dangerous goods, and general legislation applied to Quarries.

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