Nationals MP for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland has renewed her attack on the Carroll Labor Government’s fee increases hitting Victoria’s quarry, mining and exploration sectors, warning the cumulative cost burden risks strangling investment at a time Victoria desperately needs more homes and infrastructure built.
The comments follow a meeting with industry body Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) at Parliament last week, where CCAA Victorian State Director Tara McCormack and Communications Manager Mitch Itter outlined mounting pressures on businesses supplying the raw materials used to build Victoria’s homes and roads – including quarry approvals, resource security, rising taxes and fees, cultural heritage processes and regulatory barriers to investment.
It comes as the Carroll Labor Government confirmed massive increases to mining and exploration fees, set to take 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 licence application fees will rise 40 per cent, from $2,518 to $3,524.80.
Ms Cleeland said the changes would make it harder and more expensive to deliver the housing and infrastructure Victoria needs.
“Victoria needs a strong local quarry, mining and exploration industry if we are serious about building the homes, roads and infrastructure our growing communities need,” she said.
“Quarries are facing significant increases in government fees at the same time operators are dealing with rising energy, labour, transport and regulatory costs.
“Labor already imposes the highest exploration licence application fee anywhere in the country, and the second highest renewal fee of any state or territory.”
Ms Cleeland said Labor now wanted to hike exploration licence fees by 40 per cent and work plan fees by 400 per cent.
“Every dollar taken by Labor in fees, charges and taxes is a dollar that doesn’t go into the ground exploring for the resources that will underpin Victoria’s minerals future,” she said.
The issue reached the floor of parliament last week, with Liberal and Nationals moving a motion in the Legislative Council to disallow the new quarry fee regulations. The motion was defeated, though concerns about the impact on operators and construction costs were also raised during Question Time.
Ms Cleeland said the meeting reinforced the need for government to understand the cumulative impact of regulation on industries critical to Victoria’s housing and infrastructure ambitions.
“We need faster and more predictable approvals, protection of strategically important resources and a competitive fee and regulatory system that gives industry the confidence to invest,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Regional Victoria is home to many of these operations and the jobs and investment they support. The Nationals have a plan to ensure Victoria remains a competitive place to invest and do business.”
