DEECA Site Visit to ASQ Newbridge Quarry
On Monday 22 June 2026, Tim Bird, Managing Director, ASQ welcomed DEECA representatives to the Newbridge Quarry.
The purpose of the site visit was to follow up on challenges and opportunities raised around Native Vegetation at the Management Committee Meeting (February 2026) reported on p.20 Sand and Stone Issue 146 February/March 2026.
A response was received from DEECA (Erin Letovsky) as per below.
Thank you for your letter outlining the challenges your (CMPA) members face in meeting approval requirements for the removal of native vegetation, and the opportunities you have identified to improve how those requirements are applied.
I appreciate the constraints faced by members of the Construction Material Processors Association (CMPA), and recognise that, given the nature and location of many projects, avoiding impacts on native vegetation and other biodiversity values is not always possible.
I also acknowledge that navigating approvals across multiple legislative frameworks, each with its own terminology, can be complex and at times challenging. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) is committed to working with the CMPA to support clearer, more practical understanding of the statutory approval pathway and assessment requirements for all parties involved, including your members, DEECA assessment officers and Resources Victoria. DEECA has recently restructured its planning and environmental assessment functions to establish dedicated teams that will assess planning applications and environmental impact assessments for priority projects, including the extractives industry.
These changes are intended to support a more consistent, timely and pragmatic approach to the assessment of applications from your members.
I am looking forward to meeting with you and Kevin Nicholson during the site visit on 22 June 2026. This will provide an opportunity to better understand the issues you have raised and to discuss initiatives underway within DEECA that may help address them.
Building internal capability through training and workshops for relevant DEECA staff, with a focus on strengthening practical and consistent application of statutory approval pathways and assessments grounded in real-world project contexts.
Supporting earlier and more effective engagement with CMPA members to facilitate early discussion of application requirements, improve communication, and assist members to navigate the approvals process more confidently.
This includes providing clearer guidance on application expectations and on engaging ecological consultants with a sound understanding of current requirements as well as advising on concessions to recognise on ground values.
Reviewing policy settings to identify opportunities for greater offset flexibility, which may include an increased role for revegetation offsets and other alternative offset arrangements.
Updating online data and tools used to prepare applications, with enhancements that allow users to identify new locations that will meet species offset requirements.
Attendees from DEECA included:
- Ms Erin Letovsky – Regional Director Loddon Mallee
- Mr Aaron Gay – Regional Manager Biodiversity Assessment Services North Central
- Ms Emmalene Gottwald – Director Biodiversity Impact Assessment
- Mr Jeff White – Acting Manager Quarry Approvals, Resources Victoria
- Mr Mark Chisholm – Manager, Biodiversity Compensation and Offset Systems
Also, in attendance were:
- Dr Elizabeth Gibson – General Manager CMPA
- Cameron Black – BCA Consulting
- Tim Bird – Managing Director ASQ
- Kelvin Nicholson – Quarry Manager ASQ
The visit commenced with a tour of the site which was the first time at a quarry for some members of DEECA. After viewing the quarry some time was spent at remnant native trees that were due to be removed.
Discussion was centered on the pros and cons of offsets and whether there were other approaches that could be undertaken. This conversation occurred under the watchful eye of an Australian Hobby falcon roosting in a nearby tree attracted to the animals feasting on the FOGO waste from Melbourne adjacent to the ASQ.