Opening Presentation by The Hon Lily D’Ambrosio at the CMPA Annual Dinner
The Hon Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for the State Electricity Commission gave the opening presentation at CMPA’s Annual Dinner. Below is an extract from the Minister’s presentation.
INTRODUCTION
• Whether it’s for commercial development, residential housing or the Big Build, the need for raw quarry materials has never been higher.
• Demand is expected to grow rapidly to 79 million tonnes in 2029-30.
• Victorian quarries have stepped up to the challenge and produced more raw materials to meet this demand.
• Annual production in 2022-23 was a record 73.6 million tonnes of rock, sand and gravel.
• Of course, none of this would be possible without the hard work of everyone here in this room tonight who keep the sector going.
RESOURCES VICTORIA APPROVALS COORDINATION
• I know there is a lot that needs to be done to ensure that you all have the support you need from Government to extract the resources our state needs.
• A lot of work is underway.
• Last year I told you about our plans to establish the Resources Victoria Approvals Coordination Unit.
• Since it was established, the team has been crucial in helping bring future resources to market.
• In its first year of operation, RVAC has facilitated a total of 93 million tonnes of quarry resource approvals.
• This is 23 million tonnes more than the annual demand for the same period.
• This, along with a number of improvements in the Earth Resources Regulator, means a total of 248 million tonnes of quarry resources were approved for extraction this year.
• That’s more than three times the resources approved during the previous financial year.
• RVAC is contributing to quicker approval times by helping the sector to navigate complex approvals processes.
• Last month, with RVAC’s support, the first greenfield sand quarry close to Melbourne in over 20 years was approved.
• The site near Lang Lang is also the first quarry to obtain planning permission through the Victorian Government’s Development Facilitation Program.
• Thanks to RVAC’s support, for every tonne of quarry material currently produced across the state, four new tonnes have now been approved for future development.
• I know that this doesn’t mean the work is done. There is still more to do – to make sure that you all have the confidence to invest and keep moving forward.
STRATEGIC EXTRACTIVE RESOURCE AREAS
• I don’t need to tell anyone here the importance of having quarry supplies located as close to the market as possible.
• To support this the Victorian Government is establishing more Strategic Extractive Resource Areas.
• SERAs help guide where communities can develop but not too close to where the best sand, stone and gravel is located.
• SERAs are already in place in Wyndham and South Gippsland.
• Plans are underway to establish three additional SERAs, subject to the approval of the Minister for Planning.
• A stakeholder consultation process for these will be undertaken shortly.
REHABILITATION BONDS
• I know that rehabilitation bonds are of concern to many of you.
• I am grateful to the CMPA leadership for having a number of conversations with myself recently, about ways we can work together to make the system better.
• I want to be clear that the Regulator is here to work with you – not against you.
• We’ve built in a new independent review process for rehabilitation bonds. If you feel that the Regulator has not been fair, or has not taken account of particular influences on your bond, there is a process for you to raise dispute.
• We are also working on a number of reform options – with the industry – that will hopefully make the process work better for everyone.
• We’ll have more to say about this soon.
CONCLUSION
• The Victorian Government is providing more certainty to the quarry sector by improving legislation, reducing approval times, and by introducing Strategic Extractive Resource Areas.
• Operating responsibility plays a key role in your long term
ability to continue meeting the state’s demands for raw materials.
• Again, I thank all of you for the work you do, to supply our State with the materials we need.
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