As many of you know, I have worked in environmental protection for five decades under both Liberal and ALP governments. Since the introduction of the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, every government has faced lobbying to weaken environmental assessment and public consultation — and every time, communities have pushed back.

Now, the Minns Government has introduced a new Bill into Parliament — and it is the worst yet. I urge you, your friends, and local groups to intervene to protect the interests of both the community and the environment.

Take action and email:

• Planning Minister Paul Scully [email protected]

• Tell your local MP to stop the Bill

The government claims the Bill is about quickly increasing housing supply, but this is a deliberate misrepresentation of what the legislation actually does.

Without prior consultation or a considered presentation of pros and cons, the Bill creates a new class of development — Targeted Assessment Development (TAD) — which can apply to any type of project: mining, waste incinerators, factories, major roads, commercial facilities, or anything else, without exception.

Under this Bill:

• TAD projects can bypass important environmental assessments and public consultation requirements.

• Development standards — including open space, solar access, tree planting, biodiversity and pollution prevention or mitigation — can be avoided.

• Certain types of environmental impacts can be deemed irrelevant.

• The planning system is opened to greater risks of corruption, undermining ICAC safeguards.

• The Environment Minister is sidelined, with decisions transferred to a Development Coordination Authority.

I cannot overstate how dangerous and ill-advised this legislation is.

Take Action Now:
Contact the Planning Minister and your local MP to oppose this Bill and protect NSW communities and the environment.

Here’s a quick, copy-paste version you can send in under 60 seconds:

To: [email protected]
Subject: Oppose the Minn’s Government Planning Bill

Dear Minister Scully,

I strongly oppose the new planning Bill. It is not just about housing — it creates a new class of development (TAD) that allows any project such as — mines, factories, roads, or commercial developments — to bypass environmental assessment and community consultation.

This Bill also weakens development standards, ignores key environmental impacts, undermines ICAC safeguards, and sidelines the Environment Minister.

I urge you to withdraw this Bill and protect NSW communities and the environment.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Suburb / State]

Thank you for taking action — your voice matters.

Jeff Angel
Director, Total Environment Centre

Further information is available from the Environmental Defenders Office.