Farewell to Dr Elizabeth Gibson, General Manager

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the departure of Dr Elizabeth Gibson, who retired in early August this year.

While she will be deeply missed by everyone – colleagues, Management Committee, CMPA Members and all the regulators and government departments she has worked closely with for more than a decade, campaigning for change, we congratulate Elizabeth on her retirement and wish her well for the next chapter.

So where did it all begin?

Elizabeth started her role as General Manager with the CMPA in May 2013.

A qualified chemist, she obtained her BSc (hons) Chemistry from the University of London an PhD Physical Chemistry from Imperial College.

Elizabeth continued her research career as a British Gas Fellow and Phillips Fellow, and when not busy undertaking research, she spent time as a volunteer Police Officer and a self-defence instructor with the London (Metropolitan) Police Force.

Relocating from the UK to Australia with her husband, Dr Carl, her first role was with Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) as a Senior Research Officer, where she became interested in management. The CUB supported her interest and ambition, funding her to study an MBA (Deakin University).

She later moved to the Environment Protection Authority, Victoria (EPA), initially managing their laboratories. During her seven years at the EPA, Elizabeth held various management positions
including ‘Manager of Statutory Policy and Principal Environmental Auditor (Land)’, where she was responsible for the Statutory Environmental Auditors Program in Victoria, developing the National Framework for Ecological Risk Assessment.

She spent a few years as State Manager of the Australian Government Analytical Laboratory (now the National Measurement Institute), where she managed 80 staff and a budget of $10 million.

Executive Director of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute – a professional association for chemists, with over 5,000 members, she reported to the Board and Chairperson, while working in many areas including accrediting the Chemistry BSc across Australia, policy submissions, training and conferences.

Successful in lobbying for funding from the Commonwealth Government for an industry review into the future of Chemistry in Australia, she advocated on behalf of members to State and Federal Governments.

A pioneer for education and research, Elizabeth obtained grants to deliver chemistry education in schools and also worked as a Project Manager for the University of Melbourne.
Community spirited with a commitment to the environment, in her “limited” spare time, she was also Secretary of her local Landcare group and has nearly 35 years’ experience as an operational member at her local Country Fire Authority (CFA), more recently as Captain.

Contribution to the CMPA
During her time at the CMPA, Elizabeth has worked tirelessly to represent Members in the Victorian Extractive Resources Industry.

She has continuously strived for positive change and reform through engagement with regulators and State and Federal Government, representation on a range of Committees and Panels and site visits to Members across Victoria.

“Dr Elizabeth Gibson has been the mainstay of the CMPA for 13 years diligently advocating on behalf of our industry. Her patience in dealing with me as Chairman is only surpassed by her determination to lobby our interests to a diverse collection of responsible authorities amongst a broad group of stakeholders vying to push their own agenda. Her retirement is
thoroughly deserved with her renowned integrity and attention to detail leaving big shoes to fill. Her legacy is the recognition and respect that the CMPA enjoys as the leading industry group for extractives. Elizabeth will be greatly missed,” said Jason Comben, Chairperson, CMPA Management Committee.

Having worked closely with regulators including WorkSafe, DEECA, Resources Victoria and the EPA, she has been a constant and consistent voice for independent operators to help them achieve balanced and practical regulatory outcomes.

While we cannot possibly mention all her achievements and contributions, we will give it a go!

While Safe Work Australia continuously proposed decreases to WELs – the CMPA deemed that levels of prescription proposed were unwarranted in the quarry sector, posing a real threat to smaller quarries not being able to continue operations.

Recently she had been working with the Alfred Hospital – the Alfred Occupational Respiratory Clinic (AORC) – offering free health assessments to workers to identify RCS.

Rehabilitation Bonds
Elizabeth has also been representing Members, specifically in relation to Rehabilitation Bonds. The revised Resources Victoria Rehabilitation Bond Calculator (introduced in 2021). After a reassessment by Resources Victoria there was an increase from $9,000 to $12 million! After intensive advocacy which began in 2013 and included publication of the CMPA Rehabilitation Report 2022 (EHS-Support), the Minister for Energy and Resources The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP formed the Quarry Rehabilitation Bonds Review Panel in August 2025. The Final Report and
Recommendations were released on 19 May 2026.

The result being a 30% reduction in rehabilitation bond calculator costs albeit requiring a Rehabilitation Plan post 1 July 2021. For a further 20% discount, the following reduction criteria need to be met:

• Subject has material onsite or available to use for rehabilitation (5%)
• Subject has been progressively rehabilitating the site (5%)
• Subject has been recently active and producing (last 5 years) (5%)
• Subject has a minimum of 5 years’ worth of reserves left to extract (5%).

Progressive Rehabilitation Award
Elizabeth got the ‘Progressive Rehabilitation Award’ up and running.

The award recognises quarry operators restoring land during extraction,ratherthan waiting till the end of a quarry’s life, she successfully secured funding from Resources Victoria. Last year, Matt Vincent, CEO, Resources Victoria presented the awards at the CMPA Annual Dinner on 30 August, Centrepiece, Melbourne Park.

“Elizabeth has been a respected and influential voice in Victoria’s extractives sectorfor many years. Her practical insight, professionalism and collaborative approach have strengthened the relationship between industry and government, helping deliver better outcomes.

Through determined advocacy and a constructive partnership with Resources Victoria, Elizabeth leaves an enduring legacy – and a sector stronger for her contribution,” said Matt Vincent, CEO Resources Victoria.

Mineral Resources Sustainable Development (MRSD) Reform
In August 2023, the Victorian Parliament passed the Minerals Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Act 2023. The reform will change how Resources Victoria regulate minerals and extractives.

Resources Victoria recently asked licence and work authority holders about the MRSDA reform and how they engage with industry:

• 55% participants stated that the survey was the first time they’d heard about the reform.
• 67% participants stated that there was room for stronger engagement between Resources Victoria (RV) and industry.

Since the bill was passed, Elizabeth has been proactive in engaging with Members, communicating these reforms and changes and discussing how they will impact quarry operators, Work Authorities and variations to existing sites.

These changes come into effect on 1 July 2027 and instead of submitting detailed documents outlining operations, a ‘general duty’ to manage risks and impacts from work on site/s is the onus of the quarry owner/manager.

Leading the charge, she has been extremely busy sharing these changes with Members at every available opportunity – updating them every step of the way, so they can plan for future changes and remain focused on operations.

Leading the charge, she has been extremely busy sharing these changes with Members at every available opportunity – updating them every step of the way, so they can plan for future changes and remain focused on operations.

Resources Victoria Industry Reference Group (RG)
Elizabeth represented the CMPA on the Resources Victoria Industry Reference Group (RG) – a mechanism for receiving relevant updates from Resources Victoria and, also for industry associations to provide feedback, meeting quarterly.

Attendees included Resources Victoria officers and representatives from CMPA, CCAA, MCA, AMEC, PMAV and AEP. Topics for discussion included:

• Resources Victoria Approvals Coordination (RVAC)
• Regulatory Operations
• Policy and Programs

EER Cost Recovery – Exorbitant Fee Increase 234%
Elizabeth’s submission supported, in principle, cost recovery for Resources Victoria Regulatory Operations (formerly Earth Resources Regulator), however, the simplistic methodology used to calculate fees unfairly disadvantages the extractive industries (when compared to mines) and further, small work authorities (when compared to large work authorities). In effect the extractive industries are now subsidising mines by an additional ~$4.25 million.

Areas such as policy development and regulatory reform are not cost recoverable. Regional geoscientific investigations and other activities of ERR are more specific to mines. A decision on these
fees has not yet been made by Resources Victoria.

WorkSafe Earth Resources Tripartite Safety (ERTS) Forum
For many years, she has represented CMPA Member interests at the ERTS Forums, which discuss critical issues affecting quarry operators including:

• Respirable crystalline silica (RCS):
• RCS Workplace Exposure Standards (WES)
• Diesel Particulate Matter(DPM)
• Psychosocial hazards in the workplace

“Over the last 13 years Elizabeth has demonstrated an enormous commitment to supporting members with improving OHS awareness, continual improvement and compliance. She has directed the establishment of over 12 Industry OHS Guidelines and Management Plan templates that I ‘ve had the privilege of writing in consultation with other members,” said David McKelvie, Safe Mix.

Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Workplace Exposure Standards
Over many years, Elizabeth has worked closely with WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work Australia on the Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Workplace Exposure Standards (WESs) having been involved in committees and submissions to government and regulators.

She has tirelessly represented CMPA Members in terms of what is practical or necessary for the protection of the health of employees working in the quarry/waste recycling industry

Work with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
She has also worked extensively with the EPA on different issues affecting the extractive industry. Her submission to the EPA regarding ‘contaminated’ land pointed out issues with the EPA Guidelines – notably, that the guidelines were extremely complex and therefore not reasonably practicable for management or control of contaminated land.

In 2022, the EPA released a guideline for managing greenhouse gas emissions and Elizabeth was quick to point-out that guideline was impractical for small to medium quarries, as it was 37 pages long containing dozens of cross-references to other publications.

Conducting her own research, she identified other simpler guidelines for measuring and reporting on emissions. She offered to work with the EPA to develop a more simplified version for CMPA Members.

Of concern to Members was the introduction of the EPA Financial Assurance Calculator (FAC) for construction and demolition (C&D) waste storage on site. Along with C&D recyclers, many quarries recycle C&D waste into products that are blended with quarry materials to meet VicRoads specifications. For approximately 10,000 tonnes of C&D waste the FAC came to ~$6
million. Clearly, this was unsustainable. Elizabeth set up a C&D waste recyclers committee and oversaw the development of a CMPA FAC. This was coupled with site visits by EPA to C&D recyclers.

In summary, “EPA has advised that facilities recycling paddock rock, asphalt, tiles, bricks and concrete with operational processes in place to minimise contaminants are unlikely to be required to provided financial assurance.”

Native Vegetation
During hertime at CMPA, she worked with different regulators, the Management Committee and CMPA Members discussing the many challenges and opportunities around the Native Vegetation Removal Regulations.

Generally, Council Planners (and even some DEECA officers) did not appearto understand the relationship between Resources Victoria and DEECA. She would frequently be the go between, seeking clarification on behalf of Members. In conjunction with CMPA Members, she identified opportunities – a native vegetation system with flexibility for more novel approaches delivering a genu

First Peoples – State Relation Group
Elizabeth has had interactions with First Peoples – State Relations Group over the years and advocated for CMPA Members regarding Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMP) issues. She is also a Heritage advisor complaints advisory panel member (2026).

Education – VET
Elizabeth has been active in VET at the Federal level, chaired the Extractive Industry, Industry Reference Committee from 2017-2022 and advocated for the following units/skill set:

• RIIMEX303 Conduct Local Geotechnical Risk Control in Surface Operations
• Construction Material Testing Skills Set
  • RIISTD401 Monitor quarry laboratory operations and the quality of results
  • MSL952001 Collect routine site samples
  • MSL973022 Conduct laboratory-based acceptance tests for construction materials

She was an active Member to the subsequent AUSMASA Mining Strategic Workforce Advisory Panel (2024- 2025). She also facilitated the formation (2026) of the AUSMASA extractive industry update committee with CCAA, IQA and AUSMASA representatives.

During her career at the CMPA, she has been also involved in developing and delivering workshops, training material, guidelines and resources relevant to Members.

“Elizabeth and her team organised several well attended, in person OHS workshops and online webinars, ensuring members have access to topic experts and industry best practices. She has certainly
delivered the CMPA objective of “Sharing quality information to reduce risk in the Construction Materials Industry.” – David McKelvie, Safe Mix

As General Manager, she has been an integral part of the Secretariat and Management Committee; and editor of 74 Issues of Sand and Stone magazine.

“Over the past 13 years Elizabeth has represented the CMPA’s Members and Associates with utmost personal commitment and integrity. Her attention to detail and dedication has underpinned the CMPA’s respect across industry and government. Elizabeth’s contribution has been greatly valued and although she will be missed, I wish her all the best in retirement,” said Ron Kerr, Conundrum Holdings & Founder CMPA.

We sincerely thank Elizabeth for her commitment, diplomacy, and professionalism during her time at the CMPA.

Elizabeth and her husband live on a rural property and have three adult children (more recently, one son-in law). In her spare time, she is the current Captain of the local fire brigade (Country Fire Authority). She will also be continuing as a Member of the Australian Standards Risk Related to Public Policy Drafting Committee (Risk Management OB-007-00-10, HB 288 Drafting Core).

We are sure she will enjoy her time with Carl and her children, both human and furry, future holidays and of course, catching up on those odd jobs around her property that she never found time for.

Elizabeth, you will be greatly missed.