Key Facts:
- Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has welcomed a commitment by Australia’s Environment Ministers to deliver new or updated bilateral environmental assessment and approval agreements across all jurisdictions by mid-2027.
- CCAA Chief Executive Officer Michael Kilgariff called for an assess once, approve once approach that recognises equivalent state assessment processes, avoiding duplicated ecological studies and parallel approval systems.
- The industry body warned that duplicated approval processes increase costs, extend project timeframes and create uncertainty, particularly for long-life quarry developments with planning horizons of 30 to 50 years.
- CCAA called for greater integration of state and Commonwealth offset arrangements and coordinated approval conditions, emphasising that the mid-2027 timetable must deliver genuine streamlining rather than additional regulatory layers.
- CCAA also welcomed a new Circular Economy Roadmap agreed by Environment Ministers, supporting national harmonisation, stronger markets for recycled materials and greater consistency in government procurement.
Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia (CCAA) has welcomed a commitment by Australia’s Environment Ministers to accelerate bilateral environmental assessment and approval agreements, saying the focus must now be on delivering greater certainty and genuinely streamlined approvals.
Environment Ministers have agreed to deliver new or updated bilateral assessment agreements for all jurisdictions by mid-2027. The Commonwealth will also work with states and territories on new bilateral approval agreements and clarify interim arrangements.
CCAA Chief Executive Officer Michael Kilgariff said effective bilateral agreements represented a significant opportunity to reduce duplication between Commonwealth, state and territory environmental approval systems.
“The construction materials industry needs a clear, predictable and efficient approvals system that provides certainty for investment while maintaining strong environmental outcomes,” Mr Kilgariff said.
“Industry was promised a one-stop-shop when the new EPBC legislation was passed in November 2025.
“The commitment to accelerate these bilateral agreements is therefore welcome. The priority now must be getting those agreements right and ensuring they deliver genuine streamlining in practice.
“CCAA has consistently advocated for an ‘assess once, approve once’ approach that recognises equivalent state assessment processes rather than requiring proponents to navigate parallel systems.”
CCAA has called for bilateral arrangements to recognise state environmental assessments, technical studies and consultation where they meet Commonwealth requirements, while avoiding repeated ecological studies and coordinating information requests between jurisdictions.
The industry has also called for greater integration of state and Commonwealth offset arrangements and coordinated approval conditions, compliance and reporting requirements.
“Duplicated approval processes increase costs, extend project timeframes and create uncertainty without necessarily improving environmental outcomes,” Mr Kilgariff said.
“For long-life, capital-intensive quarry developments, certainty is particularly important. These operations can have planning horizons of 30 to 50 years and require significant investment well before production begins.”
“The mid-2027 timetable is therefore an important commitment. Industry now needs clarity on the interim arrangements and confidence that the final agreements will reduce duplication rather than add another layer of regulation.”
CCAA also welcomed Environment Ministers’ agreement on a new Circular Economy Roadmap, including a focus on national harmonisation, stronger markets for recycled materials and greater consistency in government procurement.
Mr Kilgariff said nationally consistent approaches could support greater use of recycled construction materials and provide industry with greater confidence to invest.
“Greater consistency in procurement, standards and regulatory settings can help strengthen markets for recycled materials while supporting productivity and investment in Australia’s circular economy.”
“CCAA looks forward to continuing to work with governments as the bilateral agreements and Circular Economy Roadmap are implemented.”
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.
