Key Facts:
- The Business Council of Australia's 2026 Regulation Rumble report has ranked Victoria last nationally for overall regulatory competitiveness, with the state also dropping from fourth to eighth place in planning, raising concerns about regulatory complexity and business costs.
- Victoria's construction materials industry faces quarry fee increases averaging approximately 253 per cent from January 2027, alongside significant reforms to quarrying legislation, changes to rehabilitation bonds, and proposals to align quarry workplace health and safety requirements with mining operations.
- Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has warned that the cumulative impact of multiple simultaneous regulatory changes risks discouraging investment, constraining local construction materials supply, and increasing the cost of delivering housing and infrastructure.
- The cement, concrete and aggregates industry contributes approximately $3.17 billion to Victoria's economy and supports more than 15,600 jobs, with CCAA emphasising that affordable housing and infrastructure depend on a competitive and reliable local materials supply.
- CCAA's 2026 Victorian Election Policy Priorities call for streamlined approvals, reduced unnecessary regulatory costs, and stronger protection of strategically important construction material resources to secure long-term supply.
Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has warned that increasing regulatory pressures risk driving up housing and infrastructure costs, following the release of the Business Council of Australia's (BCA) 2026 Regulation Rumble report.
The report ranks Victoria last nationally for overall regulatory competitiveness, with the State also falling from fourth to eighth in planning, highlighting ongoing concerns about regulatory complexity and the cost of doing business.
CCAA Chief Executive Officer Michael Kilgariff acknowledged that improvements to Victoria's quarry approvals process had delivered positive results in recent years, demonstrating the benefits of practical regulatory reform.
"We have seen that improvements to quarry approval processes can deliver results, and we need to build on that progress rather than undermine it with additional costs and uncertainty," Mr Kilgariff said.
However, he said the report's findings reinforced concerns about the cumulative impact of rising regulatory costs, lengthy approval processes and uncertainty facing Victoria's construction materials industry.
"Victoria cannot expect to deliver more affordable homes and major infrastructure while continuing to increase the cost and complexity of supplying the materials needed to build them," Mr Kilgariff said.
The industry is facing quarry fee increases averaging approximately 253 per cent from 1 January 2027, alongside significant reforms to the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act (MRSDA), which governs quarry operations and approvals, with key requirements remaining unclear despite the approaching commencement date.
Further pressures include changes to quarry rehabilitation bonds, which provide financial security for restoring sites following extraction, and proposals to align quarry workplace health and safety requirements with those applying to mining operations.
"Our industry is facing multiple regulatory changes at once, creating additional financial pressures and uncertainty for businesses already navigating lengthy planning and assessment processes," Mr Kilgariff said.
"The cumulative impact risks discouraging investment, constraining local construction materials supply and ultimately increasing the cost of delivering the homes and infrastructure Victoria urgently needs."
"Effective environmental and safety protections are essential, but industry needs clear, proportionate and predictable regulation that supports responsible quarry operations and long-term investment."
The cement, concrete and aggregates industry contributes approximately $3.17 billion to Victoria's economy and supports more than 15,600 jobs.
CCAA's 2026 Victorian Election Policy Priorities call for streamlined approvals, reduced unnecessary regulatory costs and stronger protection of strategically important construction material resources to secure long-term supply.
"Victoria's housing and infrastructure ambitions depend on a competitive and reliable local construction materials industry," Mr Kilgariff said.
"Affordable housing and infrastructure start with affordable, secure and competitive local materials supply."
About us:
About CCAA CCAA is the voice of Australia's heavy construction materials industry, an industry that contributes $20.7 billion to GDP and supports 112,970 jobs nationwide. CCAA members produce most of Australia's cement, concrete and aggregates, which are essential to the nation's building and construction sectors.
