Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation welcomes the New South Wales Government’s commitment to restoring natural habitats and biodiversity through the reform of the Biodiversity Conservation Act and reigning in run-away land clearing through changes to the Local Land Services Act.

Wednesday’s announcement from NSW minister for the environment Penny Sharpe, and NSW minister for agriculture Tara Moriarty, is a major stride towards preserving the state’s natural resources and ecosystems reforming the biodiversity offsets scheme, stopping excess land clearing, strengthening environmental protections and provisions for greater transparency on matters of high biodiversity values, mapping and land clearing. 
 
These commitments follow the 2023 review into the Biodiversity Conservation Act, led by ACBF chair Dr Ken Henry. This review found existing laws were failing to preserve biodiversity, and recommended the adoption of a Nature Positive approach to repairing and restoring the environment, rather than simply minimising its destruction. 

In announcing the NSW Plan for Nature on Wednesday, the NSW Government signaled its ambition “to protect, restore and improve biodiversity in NSW will contribute to ‘nature positive’ aims established at the national and international levels.” This will be achieved through an improved Biodiversity Conservation Act that commits to net positive nature outcomes for offsets scheme, improved mapping of areas of high biodiversity value, supporting regional planning and the provision for greater transparency with decision making. It will also establish reporting on environmental impacts through the biodiversity reporting framework and improved stakeholder engagement, including with First Nations communities. 

 
“This is a very good response to the review. The government clearly recognises the seriousness of the state of biodiversity loss in NSW and has demonstrated a strong commitment to the restoration of biodiversity,” ACBF chair Dr Ken Henry said. 
 
The commitment to develop the NSW Nature Strategy is critical to restoring the state’s biodiversity and habitats, which the state government has committed to making a legal requirement as part of the improved Biodiversity Conservation Act. 

“Whilst the government has decided not to give the Biodiversity Conservation Act statutory primacy, they clearly recognise the need for a whole-of-government response to ensure that the objectives of the biodiversity conservation act are not stymied by other pieces of legislation,” Dr Henry said. 
 
“Importantly, the NSW government recognises that there has to be much greater transparency of outcomes both with respect to assets of high biodiversity value and land clearing.”