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From the CMPA Chairperson

By on February 7, 2015

Challenges for the New Year

GARRY CRANNY, reflects on 2014 and the challenges that lie ahead for Members next year.

In the 2011/12 financial year 58 million tons of extractive industry products were produced in Victoria worth approximately $833 million (the CMPA still awaits more recent annual figures from the State Government).

CMPA members, predominately small to medium sized privately owned businesses, account for approximately half of this production – a very significant contribution to Victoria’s growth and economic wellbeing.

Whilst the construction materials industry has been quiet in recent years there are some positive signs that it is recovering with a more cautiously optimistic outlook predicted for 2015
by CMPA members in our 2014 survey.

With respect to the increased Earth Resources fees and new  fees (were introduced in January 2015), the CMPA is pleased  to report that, through effective lobbying, costs to develop the Resource Rights Allocation Management (RRAM) system (~$6 million) were removed from the revised fees structure.  The CMPA continues to work diligently on delivering education programs that improve workplace safety and raise industry standards by way of the following examples:

  • Finalisation of the Guarding Guidelines for which training will occur in 2015;
  • Introduction of the draft Traffic Management Plan Guidelines;
  •  Development of Dust Management Plan Guidelines; and
  • Work Safely refresher training.

The following is a list of current and known future extractive industry issues, several of which are very complex and represent challenges to the industry’s future. Consequently, the CMPA will be very actively pursuing these issues in 2015:

  • Rehabilitation Bonds;
  • Risk Based Work Plans including electronic lodgement;
  • Review of the OH&S Act 2004 and the OH&S Regulations  2007;
  • Changes to the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006;
  • Sequencing of the Work Authority approval process, i.e. Responsible Authority (local Council) approval for the proposed extractive industries use of the land prior to the expenditure of large sums of private capital obtaining an endorsed Work Plan as the initial project stage;
  • Development of Dust Management Guidelines;
  • Workshop on “Safe Working Distance from Quarry Faces”; and
  • Workshop on “Chain of Responsibility” and the related “Drug and Alcohol Policy”

In 2015, CMPA members can be assured the Management Committee and Secretariat will continue to work as hard and effectively as possible at representing their individual interests and the broader welfare of our vital industry in Victoria.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the former State Coalition Government, in particular the former Minster for Energy and Resources, The Hon. Russell Northe, MLA for being such an engaged and committed Minister to our industry sector during his relatively brief time in the portfolio.

The CMPA congratulates the newly elected Labor State Government on winning office and we now look forward to working energetically and positively with the recently appointed Minister for Energy and Resources, the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio, MLA.

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