Draft amendments to the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 reworking how the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme applies, especially for small, low-impact projects.
July 17th, 2026
The government has released a draft Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Biodiversity Offsets Scheme) Regulation 2026, with a consultation paper, proposing amendments to the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 to improve the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme. The draft includes measures to strengthen avoidance and minimisation of impacts to biodiversity values, reduce reliance on the Biodiversity Conservation Fund, better balance the scheme's application against the biodiversity risks of small low-impact projects, improve oversight of conservation brokers, and make credit transaction fees fairer and more efficient.
Environmental Health Officers and council planners applying the offsets scheme to DAs, proponents of small and low-impact projects, conservation brokers, and anyone buying or selling biodiversity credits or using the Biodiversity Conservation Fund.
Email your submission to [email protected] by 5 pm on 17 July 2026. There is no online form for this consultation.
“The department is seeking feedback on draft amendments to the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 to improve the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme.”
“strengthen avoidance and minimisation of impacts to biodiversity values”
“better balance the application of the scheme with the biodiversity risks for small, low-impact projects”
Quotes are reproduced exactly from the consultation page and machine-verified against it.
Unofficial plain-English summary. Read the full exhibition material and lodge submissions at the official page: www.environment.nsw.gov.au · Source last checked July 16th, 2026