Queensland’s budget decisions are a crucial opportunity to support landholders who protect nature by removing barriers that hold back private land conservation.
New South Wales is facing a growing gap between what nature needs and what is currently being invested to protect it. The combination of accelerating biodiversity loss, permissive land‑clearing laws, and reduced conservation investment leaves the state poorly positioned to contribute to national and global nature goals. Budget decisions in 2026–27 will play a crucial role in reversing these trends.
Recommendations
ALCA identifies six priority actions for the NSW Government:
1. Reform land‑clearing laws
NSW currently has some of the most permissive land‑clearing rules in Australia, which alongside Queensland, are contributing to the largest scale of environmental decline in the country. With recent changes to the Commonwealth EPBC Act, any clearing that could harm nationally protected matters will now require federal approval. This creates a clear opportunity for NSW to modernise its laws so they line up with both interstate norms and emerging national standards. Reforming the system would reduce environmental risk, improve compliance clarity for landholders, and help prevent further habitat loss.
2. Boost funding for the Saving Our Species program to at least $25 million per year
Saving Our Species is NSW’s main threatened‑species recovery program, yet current funding sits at only $15 million a year and expires in 2025–26. Funding cuts of 25% in 2021–22 have already reduced the number of species under active management, with the Audit Office finding that the program is now delivering conservation actions for less than one‑third of NSW’s threatened species. The 2024 State of Environment Report highlights how urgent this is: NSW has 600+ threatened plant species and over 300 threatened animal species, and the list continues to grow. Increasing funding to at least $25 million per year would restore program capacity and help slow the state’s worsening extinction risk.
3. Commit to a terrestrial protected area target of 20% of NSW by 2035
NSW currently has only 10.44% of its land formally protected. This is one of the lowest proportions in Australia. Meeting the national “30 by 30” target by 2030 is not feasible from such a low starting point, but committing to 20% by 2035 would demonstrate credible ambition and better align NSW with national expectations. It would also send a strong signal to philanthropic partners and the Commonwealth that the state is willing to co‑invest in protected‑area expansion.
4. Invest in a dedicated land acquisition program for protected areas
A state‑based land acquisition program would help NSW work more effectively with the Federal Government's Australia’s Bushland Program (a $250 million national investment) and major philanthropic funders. A structured acquisition fund would allow NSW to target land with high biodiversity value, expand the protected‑areas network strategically, and leverage external investment at scale. Recent reports already outline practical pathways for doing this, giving NSW a clear model to follow.
5. Legislate and resource enhanced protection conservation covenants
Enhanced‑protection covenants prevent incompatible land uses (such as mining) from occurring on land dedicated to conservation. NSW has signalled intent to strengthen its conservation agreements, but legislation and resourcing are still needed. These stronger covenants are essential for unlocking private and philanthropic investment, especially for high‑value or culturally significant landscapes. Queensland’s Special Wildlife Reserves show how effective these mechanisms can be when well‑designed.
6. Begin public consultation in 2026 on transitioning the biodiversity offsets scheme
NSW has committed to updating its biodiversity offsets scheme so that it delivers net positive biodiversity outcomes. This is a major shift from past practice. However, there is currently no published timeline for releasing the strategy, even though the Biodiversity Conservation Act requires public consultation. Starting consultation in 2026 would provide transparency, give stakeholders certainty, and help align NSW with emerging federal standards for offsets.
Adopting these recommendations would help reverse declines, unlock co‑investment, and position NSW as a partner in Australia’s transition to nature‑positive economic growth.
Image: Stefano Borghi/Unsplash
