Biodiversity undergoing change
The NSW Government is seeking to introduce a streamlined biodiversity assessment framework for both major projects and local approvals.
The reformed NSW Biodiversity Offsets Policy for Major Projects is set to come into effect on 1 October 2014.
The new policy standardises offsetting for State Significant Development and Infrastructure, such as highways and hospitals. It includes:
- a Framework for Biodiversity Assessment – that outlines the process for assessing biodiversity impacts on a site and the offset requirements for those impacts, and
- a Biodiversity Offsets Fund – to allow proponents to offset impacts via monetary contributions to the State that will then be used to purchase offsets on their behalf.
Reducing tape has made biodiversity offsetting for major projects simpler and easier to navigate.
Concurrently, broader biodiversity legislation pertaining to local approvals is under review by an Independent Panel established in August 2014.
The Panel’s purpose is to identify areas for reform under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, Native Vegetation Act 2003, Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, and Nature Conservation Trust Act 2001.
A full report to the Minister for Environment is expected to be finalised in December 2014.
Given the importance and highly specialised nature of biodiversity policy, the Property Council cautions that any reform process enacted as a result of the review must have a robust stakeholder engagement framework and timeframe in place, and industry experts specific to NSW involved from the outset.
For more information on changes to major projects, click here.
For more information on the independent review of biodiversity legislation, click here.