A number of amendments were proposed by the Greens and voted down by Labor and Liberal members, which included:

• Requirements for climate risk and natural hazard assessments in planning decisions;
• Evaluation of climate change impact;
• Anti-corruption requirements; publication of recommendations and reports, statements of reasons for planning decisions;
• Stronger integrity requirements for community participation plans;
• Special consultation procedures for threatened species;
• Bushfire protections and greater requirements for bushfire prone land;
• Requirement to consult on Aboriginal Cultural Heritage;
• Evaluation of “significant” likely impacts of development;
• Removal of Ministerial powers to remove environmental protections and make planning considerations “irrelevant” via regulation.

An amendment to be debated when parliament resumes on Tuesday November 11 aims to ensure greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts cannot be excluded from development assessments.

After the Bill has passed, there will be more chances over the next 12 months to have input into the way planning regulations are drafted.

A number of amendments were passed in response to community concerns across the state. These included:

• Restoring environment protection and community interests as key ‘objects’ at the core of the planning approval process;
• Excluding mining projects from the new fast-track development pathway called Targeted Assessment Development (and other ‘designated developments’) ; and
• Reversing some of the proposed watered down bushfire considerations in planning decisions.

The Society's President and some of it's office-holders had an urgent meeting with the State Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle MP on Monday 13 October to explain in detail the Society's concerns about the proposed Bill.

You can find a copy of an Information Sheet that the Society prepared on which to base discussions with Trish here.

You can find a copy of the letter that Trish Doyle wrote to The Hon. Paul Scully, MP, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces immediately following her meeting with Society Office-holders here.

You can find a Press Release from The Nature Conservation Council relating to this proposal here.

The Bill is called: “The Environmental Planning and Assessment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025” https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=18807

This Bill allows for a massive overhaul of the NSW planning system and has come to parliament without any community consultation.

Although the Bill’s stated intention is to deliver more houses by streamlining planning processes, the amendments will apply to ALL development (including mining) across NSW, not just housing.

The Bill:

1. Promotes development and reduces consideration of needs of the community and the environment
2. Affects ALL types of development
3. Diminishes environmental and bushfire risk considerations in decision-making
4. Introduces a new, streamlined assessment pathway (“targeted development assessment”) that is makes consideration of environmental impacts and the public interest unlawful
5. Undermines anti-corruption safeguards recommended by the Independent Commission Against Corruption

Here is a link to a briefing note by the Environmental Defenders Office https://www.edo.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/250926-EDO-Briefing-note-NSW-Environmental-Planning-and-Assessment-Amendment-Planning-System-Reforms-Bill-2025.pdf.

Call or email our local MP Trish Doyle, expressing your concerns and ask her to make representations to Minister Penny Sharp to send this Bill to an inquiry for public scrutiny and a chance to have our say.

Some general concerns to raise could be:

• protect the right of local communities to have a say;
• safeguard the environment, public health and cultural heritage; and
• ensure planning decisions are made transparently and in the public interest

Trish Doyle’s office phone number is: (02) 47513298 and her email address is: bluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au