A 25 per cent growth in output by quarries over the past six years to support Victoria’s construction boom underlines the importance of sustainable management practices and policies to protect the State’s reserves of sand, rock and gravel.
Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) CEO Ken Slattery has welcomed last week’s Parliamentary update by Victorian Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes, highlighting the record level of quarry production and the critical role the industry plays in supporting jobs and rebuilding Victoria’s post-COVID economy.
Ms Symes told Parliament that over sixty-three million tonnes of sand, rock and gravel were supplied last financial year to help deliver Victoria’s Big Build infrastructure program and fuel the housing and commercial construction markets.
“Cement, concrete, stone and sand are the critical materials that enable Victoria’s construction industry – an industry that employs 340,000 workers and contributes 45 per cent of Victoria’s taxation revenue base,” Mr Slattery says.
“The value of the quarry industry’s contribution has never been more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Locally sourced heavy construction materials have underpinned the infrastructure and construction boom that is driving Victoria’s economic recovery.”
CCAA’s State Director for Victoria and Tasmania, Brian Hauser, says the industry has been working positively and proactively with the Andrews Government to ensure future supply needs can be met.
“It’s vital that we have a reliable, local and cost-efficient supply chain to support Victoria’s growth,” he says.
“This means protecting our existing reserves for the long term and urgently streamlining approval processes to secure critical future supply.”
Mr Hauser says the industry has been an active participant in the Andrews Government’s Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERA) pilot project, which has been looking into the planning provisions required to protect strategic state resources in South Gippsland and Wyndham local government areas, while balancing the needs of other existing land uses, environmental assets and community interests.
“The pilot project is a template for how we deal with planning challenges around natural resources in the future and constructively engage with communities,” he says.
“The Government deserves credit for tackling this sensitive issue head on, and we’ll continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure we can achieve the best outcomes for all Victorians.”
For more information, download CCAA’s 2020 Victorian Policy Priorities document.
Minister’s Statement Underlines Role Quarries Play in Driving Victoria’s Economic Recovery
