Thursday, 29 May 2025

Mineral resources

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (10:03): I want to draw the chamber’s attention and the community’s attention to the latest big fat tax that this state government is bringing into operation – a 234 per cent increase in tax is to be promulgated if the government’s preferred model goes forward. They have got a regulatory impact statement, but this is to hit the resources sector and the extractive industry sector. We should be building up mining in our state, not sending it away. We heard what the head of Santos had to say yesterday, likening Victoria to North Korea. But a 234 per cent increase in fees and charges by government will not in any way see more mining happen in our state. On our extractive industries, our quarries, we are going to put a 234 per cent increase, according to Labor. This is Labor’s plan. This is a bad plan, a plan that seeks to clobber these important extractive industries that are so much a part of our building and construction sector. How does it help young families to push through increased taxes on quarries, raising the cost of the stone that is used in concrete? This is going to push up the cost of housing further, so the government should think twice before going forward with its preferred model, its big new tax on extractive industries and mining.