Wednesday, 8 June 2022

 Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:09): It is my pleasure to update the house on how the government is supporting the extractives industry to supply Victorian businesses and families with the affordable sand, gravel and hard rock that are needed for construction. Victoria’s population is set to reach 10 million by 2050, requiring 1.6 million new homes, an unprecedented amount of new infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, and investment in a well-connected transport network.

Quarry operators, large and small, play an absolutely vital role in ensuring affordable and accessible material is available close to where it is needed. The best lever government has to address the rising cost of building materials is to support the expansion of supply, and I am proud to inform the house that the Andrews Labor government is committed to funding and delivering regulatory reform for a responsible industry that will keep the cost of construction down for Victorians. This includes $2 million in the recent state budget that will go towards the reform of regulation and approvals processes for minerals resources.

Excitedly, some reform is already underway. The earth resources regulator from my department is one of the first regulators in the state to have participated in the Better Approvals for Regulators program. The program will develop immediate work plan assessment improvements for quarry operators. The program aims to create a more efficient regulatory process and improve transparency for industry and community alike. This will get quarry materials to market in a more efficient manner while maintaining stringent environmental and safety standards. I have recently met with key representatives from the Cement, Concrete and Aggregates Australia group to discuss the outcomes of the program and the important role of the extractives sector in keeping a growing Victoria affordable for the community—

Mr Ondarchie interjected.

Ms PULFORD: something Mr Ondarchie clearly has a problem with. I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all our quarry operators for their continued support of Victoria’s construction industry and my department and regulator for overseeing the safe extraction of Victorian materials— (Time expired)