CEMENT, CONCRETE AND AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:04): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government, the Minister for Mineral Resources Development, a question regarding the cement, concrete and aggregates industries.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Without concrete and its constituent parts (sand, aggregate and cement) we would not have the roads, footpaths, schools, hospitals, homes and workplaces that we otherwise take for granted. Heavy construction materials are the foundation upon which our modern lives are built. Will the minister provide the chamber with an update on recent achievements in the areas of environmental standards, health and safety across the cement, concrete and aggregate industries?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (15:05): I was fortunate enough to attend the Cement Concrete & Aggregate awards, a night on which the industry acknowledges its achievements in the area of environment, health and safety. This event, held every two years, celebrates innovation and performance in environment, health and safety across the cement, concrete and aggregate industries.

Our government also acknowledges the industries' commitment to continuous improvement in the management of all aspects of the environment and in the health and safety of the industries' workforce and the community. The cement, concrete and aggregate industries are very important to South Australia, as the honourable member has indicated, and they contribute to making our state one of the most affordable places to live in the nation. That, of course, is because we are fortunate that we have low-cost resources within close proximity of the city.

The Hon. T.A. Franks: South Australia is so different from other states because of our concrete.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: It is different from the other states; the honourable member is correct, because we do have that advantage, unlike in Sydney, where you have to rail in aggregates for 200 or 300 kilometres from the southern tablelands. These industries have been fundamental to the delivery of our government's major public works projects, and they will continue to be fundamental to delivering the outcomes set out in the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide. If some honourable members had their way, we might be paying tens of thousands of dollars more for dwellings, and I think some members of this place should reflect on that.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Just as well we don't sit too often on a Friday, Mr President. They will continue to be fundamental to delivering the outcomes set out in the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide. I have been increasingly impressed that the cement, concrete and aggregate industries continue to thrive against a backdrop of increasing pressures and many unique challenges faced by industry, including:

competition, rising costs of production, transport and the need for capital investment in plant and facilities;

water issues and innovations in recycling and the active reduction of water use;

climate issues and the recognition that we need to become climate responsive;

the growth of residential development in the vicinity of our extractive mines and cement and concrete production plants; and

growing expectations of the community around the principles of 'social licence to operate'.

Environmental innovation is a key element in addressing these issues. It will be pivotal in maintaining industry's continued competitiveness and helping to ensure its long-term sustainable development. Environmental innovation in partnership with best technical and operating practices will underpin the achievement of the social licence to operate.

I congratulate Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia on building the Environmental Health and Safety Awards into such an important event. The Best Environmental Innovation in the Extractive Industries Award went to Southern Quarries for the Sellicks Hill Quarry air separator, which was described by the judges as 'a very effective solution for a state which so highly values water'. In place of previous methods of using large volumes of water in relation to separating aggregates, the air separator is a very innovative solution.

The award for the Best Environmental Innovation in Pre-Mix Concrete was won by Hanson, for carbon emission reduction—driver training. The judges noted that this was 'a fairly original idea for industry that goes beyond regulatory expectations'. The award for the Best Overall Environmental Innovation was awarded to Boral for its landscape rehabilitation project at Kalbeeba, near Gawler.

As someone who had seen what was previously an abandoned sand quarry near Kalbeeba, and having seen the job that has been done on contouring and rehabilitating that particular land, I think it very richly deserved the Best Overall Environmental Innovation Award. For anyone who goes out there, unless you had seen what was previously there as a disused quarry, you would not be able to appreciate just how good a job has been done on that rehabilitation project.

The judges said this project 'demonstrated a high level of social responsibility following the closure of a facility' and represented 'a well-understood and highly effective process for remediation.' I hope all members will join me in congratulating not just the winners but all the nominees for the CCAA Environmental Health and Safety Awards, and I applaud their contribution to a more environmentally sustainable future for our state.