The Government of South Australia has acknowledged reform recommendations from the state’s Productivity Commission after a review of the planning and regulation frameworks of quarries.
The report is aimed at improving quarry frameworks, which included reform opportunities in quarry planning and regulation as well as the use of quarry products and site rehabilitation.
South Australia’s Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan welcomed the SA Productivity Commission’s findings.
“The final report sets out the Productivity Commission’s understanding of the issues affecting state and local government regulation, policies and practices for the extractives supply chain, and identifies reform options that will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of those arrangements,” he said.
“We need to ensure that community expectations in relation to the environmental and social impacts of the extractives industry are maintained, and this review is another way the state government is ensuring this occurs.”
Minister van Holst Pellekaan said the review has identified ways to further protect vital resources and boost construction, infrastructure and extractive industry collaboration.
“The review into the extractives industry identifies opportunities to further protect vital resources and enhance collaboration between construction, infrastructure and extractives industries that underpin South Australia’s vital infrastructure and domestic construction sector.
“With around $12.9 billion of infrastructure spending earmarked over the next four years in our state, the extractives industry will continue to play a crucial role in ensuring the delivery of valuable community assets, driving economic growth and delivering jobs for South Australians.”
The guidelines review will provide South Australia with a competitive advantage, van Holst Pellekaan said.
“In concert with the changes being made to the Mining Act Regulations, the Productivity Commission’s report into the extractives industry will help improve transparency and reform opportunities that will benefit both communities and industry,” he said.
“The government supports updating, simplifying and streamlining regulatory and process-related guidance material for the extractives sector, and this will help a range of industries to grow beyond their current trajectory supported by leveraging our state’s competitive advantages.”
The South Australian Government’s response to the SA Productivity Commission’s extractive industry supply chain review can be viewed on the SA Department of Energy and Mining website.