Our quarries and our growing state

Minister for Resources Jaclyn Symes talks to Sand and Stone.

It’s great to be able to talk to members of the Construction Material Processors Association via Sand and Stone.

I’m really proud that our government is leading the state’s biggest ever boom in transport, school and hospital infrastructure – and Victoria’s quarries have a huge role to play in providing the materials for these vital improvements.

I had the pleasure of meeting with representatives of the CMPA’s management committee recently to hear about your key issues and discuss the Andrews Labor Government’s strategy to strengthen Victoria’s quarry sector.

With Victoria’s population forecast to exceed 10 million people by 2050, the pressure on different aspects of your work and the sector will continue.

With high transport costs of quarry material and emerging shortfalls in the supply of extractive resources, we are taking action to secure high quality resources in Victoria for many years to come.

Helping Victoria Grow, our extractive resources strategy, is securing the materials so we – and future generations – can continue to affordably build homes and deliver much-needed infrastructure.

Through this strategy we have a clear plan to ensure quarry materials can continue to be sourced near where they will be used to keep down transport and construction costs.

To continue to grow the sector, we need to ensure the community views the industry as a good neighbour. I encourage you to be proactive and take every opportunity to promote what you do and engage local communities.

The Extractive Industry Work Plan Guideline was released in December to help deliver a streamlined approach resulting in quicker approvals of work plans, while complying with public and environmental safeguards.

There is no magic bullet for many of the challenges the sector faces but what I can promise you is continued hard work from across government, particularly with the planning and transport portfolios, alongside industry and community to provide the building blocks for our growing state.

Thank you for this opportunity to say hello and update you. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the future.

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