NSW Government land reforms for farmers

The NSW Government is proposing reforms to land management and conservation aimed at giving farmers flexibility to undertake legitimate land clearing that improves agricultural productivity, while helping them protect the environment.

The reforms propose a new land management framework under the Local Land Services Act 2013 that includes a native vegetation regulatory map for rural lands showing where native vegetation clearing can be undertaken without any approval or where clearing must comply with a code of practice.

The codes of practice detail the circumstances in which clearing can proceed without assessment and whether notification or certification from the NSW Local Land Services would be required.

The framework also includes details about when assessment approval for clearing must be sought from the NSW Local Land Services and when ‘set-asides’ or biodiversity offsets are required.

The reforms also include a method to assess and quantify impacts to biodiversity and offsetting options for impacts by development or clearing. Programs that aim to enhance biodiversity conservation on private land and protect threatened species and communities are also proposed as part of the reforms.

The NSW Government is investing $340 million over five years to implement these reforms and has committed to ongoing investment in private land conservation beyond the five years.

Council’s acting General Manager and Director of Planning Lindsay Usher said the NSW Government has proposed these biodiversity legislation reforms “with an aim to cut red tape, simplify ecologically sustainable development, and conserve biodiversity. I encourage Eurobodalla’s rural land owners to make their feedback to the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage on their website.”

Public feedback on the proposed biodiversity conservation reforms is due to the Office of Environment and Heritage by 5pm on 28 June 2016.