PLANNING REGULATIONS

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (14:55): I have a supplementary question. Given that the minister considers it imperative that we continue with 300-metre exclusion zones, what steps will the minister actually take to ensure that these zones are marked on the development plans so that the community is aware of them and can act appropriately?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning) (14:56): As I have said, first of all we have to identify the existing quarries, because many of them are operated as private mines (in some cases, they pre-date the current operations under the Extractive Industries Rehabilitation Scheme) and some of them are operated by local governments. So, it is not just a simple issue of dealing with the major quarries that come under the Extractive Industries Rehabilitation Fund.

In principle, I certainly agree with the honourable member that it is desirable that we should identify these zones. As I have said, I have asked for some work to be done, but it is quite a complex issue to identify all of those quarries and then have them built into development plans. Historically, it is a matter that has been covered under the Mining Act. Unfortunately, in some areas—for example, parts of Linwood and also the Golden Grove extractive industry zone—the buffer on some boundaries is probably less than 300 metres.

An example of one of the decisions I did take was when we recently extended the urban growth boundary in the vicinity of what was the waste fill area at the Medlow dump, which is a similar sort of issue, when I ensured that, although it had been rezoned, a limitation was put on that area for residential use until that activity had been exhausted. By analogy, it should be the same with quarries; that is, where we have those quarries, we should put in place restrictions until such time as that activity is completed.