Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has outlined its election policy priorities ahead of the 2025 election in Western Australia.
The CCAA has called on the next Western Australian Government to develop a heavy construction materials plant that would develop a sustainable supply of construction materials for the state’s infrastructure projects.
The election priorities outline the CCAA’s belief that Western Australia should establish a permanent quarry approvals coordinator. According to the organisation, this role would streamline planning approvals, protect key quarries and concrete batch plants from urban encroachment, and create performance-based specifications to support decarbonisation and the circular economy.
“As Western Australia embarks on major infrastructure projects to drive its future growth, the heavy construction materials industry will play an indispensable role in delivering these projects sustainably and efficiently,” said Michael Kilgariff, chief executive officer of CCAA.
“The rising complexity of approvals and regulations in Western Australia has been recognised as having a direct impact on the cost of raw materials, which in turn is driving up construction costs. This affects not only infrastructure projects but also housing affordability. If we don’t address these barriers, the industry will struggle to meet the state’s growing needs.
“Western Australia’s future infrastructure pipeline will require an unprecedented volume of materials. From housing subdivisions to major infrastructure, these materials account for an average of 29 per cent of project costs.
“An efficient supply chain is at risk, however, due to a slow and complex approvals process, encroachment on key resources, and increasing demand. Without action, we could see project delays and rising costs, which will impact housing affordability and infrastructure delivery across the state.
“Public procurement practices that reflect government policies on reducing emissions are also critical to the sustainable supply of critical heavy construction materials, by enabling changes that deliver on our collective decarbonisation goals.
“It is essential that the incoming Western Australian Government leads these reforms through the development of a Heavy Construction Materials Plan to support a sustainable construction sector and ensure the timely delivery of critical infrastructure.”
The Western Australian election will be held on March 8, 2025.
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