Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has expressed strong support for the South Australian State Budget, while emphasising the importance of securing an efficient and affordable supply of construction materials to support the housing package and key infrastructure and renewables projects.
CCAA is the peak body for the heavy construction materials industry in Australia. CCAA members produce the majority of Australia’s cement, concrete, and aggregates, which are crucial to Australia’s building and construction sectors. These materials support the development of our nation’s transport, energy, water, housing, defence, and social infrastructure.
“CCAA welcomes the continued commitment to infrastructure spend and the focus on long term housing given the strength and growth of the SA economy is dependent on a strong pipeline of projects and the provision of adequate and affordable housing supply”, said CCAA CEO Michael Kilgariff.
“CCAA has underscored the need for the government to expedite the protection of local quarries, in calling on the government to develop an integrated Heavy Construction Materials Strategy across cement, aggregates, sand and concrete.
“This plan is critical in delivering an adequate supply of essential materials to the locations where they are needed.
“This reinforces the need for an integrated Heavy Construction Materials Strategy to support the construction materials essential for housing, renewable energy, and infrastructure projects.
“It remains imperative that the State government develop a plan to ensure the efficient and affordable supply of construction materials, focused on timely delivery and aimed at making housing, renewable energy projects and infrastructure most affordable”, said Mr Kilgariff.
Major South Australian projects requiring heavy construction materials include:
• The $843.6 million housing package – requiring over half a million tonnes of aggregates and more than 53 cubic meters of concrete per home.
• The $15.4 billion T2D project – to use nearly 1.1 million cubic meters of concrete, the largest amount ever used on a single project in SA.
• The new $3.2 billion Women’s and Children’s hospital – needing 84,000 cubic meters of concrete, alongside a $498 million upgrade and expansion of the Flinders Medical Centre.
• Renewable energy projects – with the foundation of a single wind tower pylon requiring 600 to 700 cubic meters of concrete. This being enough concrete to fill almost three Olympic swimming pools.
• The $218 million allocated for new schools – further demonstrating the integral role of construction materials in everyday life.