Cleeland hears quarry industryconcerns at parliament

31 August 2026

Cleeland hears quarry industryconcerns at parliament

Nationals MP for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has renewed her attack on the CarrollLabor Government’s fee increases hitting Victoria’s quarry, mining andexploration sectors, warning the cumulative cost burden risks stranglinginvestment at a time Victoria desperately needs more homes and infrastructurebuilt.

The comments follow a meeting withindustry body Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) at Parliamentlast week, where CCAA Victorian State Director Tara McCormack andCommunications Manager Mitch Itter outlined mounting pressures on businessessupplying the raw materials used to build Victoria’s homes and roads -including quarry approvals, resource security, rising taxes and fees, culturalheritage processes and regulatory barriers to investment.

It comes as the Carroll LaborGovernment confirmed massive increases to mining and exploration fees, set totake effect from 1 January 2027. Mining licence application fees will jump from$4,529.90 to $17,983.30 — a 297 per cent increase — while exploration licenceapplication fees will rise 40 per cent, from $2,518 to $3,524.80.

Ms Cleeland said the changes wouldmake it harder and more expensive to deliver the housing and infrastructureVictoria needs.

“Victoria needs a strong localquarry, mining and exploration industry if we are serious about building thehomes, roads and infrastructure our growing communities need,” she said.

“Quarries are facing significantincreases in government fees at the same time operators are dealing with risingenergy, labour, transport and regulatory costs.

“Labor already imposes the highestexploration licence application fee anywhere in the country, and the secondhighest renewal fee of any state or territory.”

Ms Cleeland said Labor now wantedto hike exploration licence fees by 40 per cent and work plan fees by 400 percent.

“Every dollar taken by Labor infees, charges and taxes is a dollar that doesn’t go into the ground exploringfor the resources that will underpin Victoria’s minerals future,” she said.

The issue reached the floor ofparliament last week, with Liberal and Nationals moving a motion in theLegislative Council to disallow the new quarry fee regulations. The motion wasdefeated, though concerns about the impact on operators and construction costswere also raised during Question Time.

Ms Cleeland said the meetingreinforced the need for government to understand the cumulative impact ofregulation on industries critical to Victoria’s housing and infrastructureambitions.

“We need faster and morepredictable approvals, protection of strategically important resources and acompetitive fee and regulatory system that gives industry the confidence toinvest,” Ms Cleeland said.

“Regional Victoria is home to manyof these operations and the jobs and investment they support. The Nationalshave a plan to ensure Victoria remains a competitive place to invest and dobusiness.”

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