Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme

This inquiry was self-referred on 24 June 2021 to inquire into the Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme. Submissions closed on 31 August 2021. The inquiry is due to report on 24 November 2022.

Video recordings of hearings where available can be found on the NSW Parliament's YouTube channel here.

Terms of Reference
Timeline
Submissions
Hearings and Transcripts
Reports and Government Responses
Other Documents
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This inquiry was self-referred on 24 June 2021.

Clarifications to the Terms of Reference

1(b) - the use of offsets by the NSW Government for major projects and strategic approvals

This relates to the use of offsets for state significant development (SSD) and state significant infrastructure (SSI) major projects, including as part of strategic assessments (or biodiversity certifications) and the offsetting conditions that consent authorities apply to these types of projects.

1(c) - the impact of non-additional offsetting practices on biodiversity outcomes, offset prices and the opportunities for private landowners to engage in the scheme

Non-additional offsets are offsets that don't provide any additional conservation values or increase in biodiversity values, but still generate credits to enable the loss of existing biodiversity values. For example, converting existing nature reserves into offset credits.

Terms of reference - Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme - updated 16 August 2022

Date	Milestone
24 Jun 2021	Self-referred
31 Aug 2021	Submissions closed
22 Oct 2021	Hearing - Via Video conference, Sydney
09 Dec 2021	Hearing - Jubilee Room, Parliament House, Sydney
10 Dec 2021	Hearing - Jubilee Room, Parliament House, Sydney
08 Apr 2022	Hearing - Macquarie Room, Parliament House, Sydney
24 Nov 2022	Final Report
14 Feb 2023	Government Response to Final Report

No. 1 Confidential
No. 2 Ecological Consultants Association of NSW Inc.
No. 3 Name suppressed
No. 4 Confidential
No. 5 Ms Nina Matheis
No. 6 Bathurst Regional Council
No. 7 Ms Paula Morrow
No. 8 Hilary Denholm
No. 9 Name suppressed
No. 10 Name suppressed
No. 11 Mr Noel Corkery
No. 12 Goulburn Mulwaree Council
No. 13 Coffs Harbour City Council
No. 14 Friends of Grasslands
No. 15 Shoalhaven City Council
No. 16 Name suppressed
No. 17 Mr Peter Olive
No. 18 Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc
No. 19 Mr Robert Michie
No. 20 Yancoal Australia Ltd
No. 21 Clarence Valley Council
No. 22 Kempsey Shire Council
No. 23 Lane Cove Council
No. 24 Wando Conservation and Cultural Centre Inc
No. 25 Mrs Elizabeth Michie
No. 26 National Parks Association of NSW Macarthur Branch
No. 27 Name suppressed
No. 28 Ms Kym Kilpatrick
No. 29 Dr Judy Lambert
No. 30 Mrs Leanne George
No. 31 Ms Cath Ireland
No. 32 Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society Inc
No. 33 Mrs Patricia Durman
No. 34 Sharon 'Ruby' & Peter Dykes
No. 35 Henribark Pty Ltd
No. 35a Henribark Pty Ltd
No. 36 Blacktown & District Environment Group Inc
No. 37 Wollondilly Shire Council
No. 38 Mulgoa Valley Landcare Group Inc
No. 39 Gilgandra Shire Council
No. 40 Youth for Conservation
No. 41 FAP Nominees Pty Ltd
No. 42 Landholder Biodiversity Interest Group
No. 43 Name suppressed
No. 44 Port Stephens Council
No. 45 Name suppressed
No. 46 Ryde Gladesville Climate Change Action Group
No. 47 Natural Resource Management and Planning staff - Port Macquarie Hastings Council
No. 48 Name suppressed
No. 49 Lock the Gate Alliance
No. 50 Penrith City Council
No. 51 Better Planning Network Inc
No. 51a Better Planning Network Inc
No. 52 Planning Institute of Australia
No. 53 Ms Fiona Bullivant
No. 54 Name suppressed
No. 55 Name suppressed
No. 56 Tamworth Regional Council
No. 57 Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition Inc
No. 58 Mr Alexander Cox
No. 59 Birding NSW inc.
No. 60 Name suppressed
No. 61 Dubbo Regional Council
No. 62 Lake Macquarie City Council
No. 63 Mr Martin Mansfield
No. 64 Dr Stan Bolden
No. 65 Georges River Environmental Alliance
No. 66 NSW Minerals Council
No. 66a NSW Minerals Council
No. 67 Save Sydney's Koalas
No. 68 Urban Taskforce
No. 69 Ms Margaret Fisher
No. 70 Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council
No. 71 National Parks Association of NSW
No. 72 Confidential
No. 73 Mrs Sue Gay
No. 74 Mrs Joy Hafey
No. 75 Shellharbour City Council
No. 76 Deep River Group
No. 77 Singleton Council
No. 78 Local Government NSW
No. 79 AILA - Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
No. 80 Koala Koalition EcoNetwork Port Stephens (KKEPS)
No. 81 Eira Battaglia
No. 82 Wilton Action Group
No. 83 Total Environment Centre
No. 84 Animal Liberation
No. 85 Humane Society International
No. 86 Australian Conservation Foundation
No. 87 Cement Concrete and Aggregates Australia
No. 88 Mr Peter Maslen
No. 89 Mr Andrew Knop
No. 90 Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand Inc.
No. 90a Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand Inc.
No. 91 Tweed Shire Council
No. 92 Environmental Defenders Office
No. 93 Northern Rivers Joint Organisation - Natural Resource Management Managers Group
No. 94 NSW Farmers' Association
No. 95 Nature Conservation Council of NSW	Attachments
No. 96 Valley Watch Inc
No. 97 NSW Government
No. 98 National Trust of Australia (New South Wales)
No. 99 Confidential
No. 100 Mr Steven House
No. 101 Community Environment Network Inc.
No. 102 Name suppressed
No. 103 Name suppressed
No. 104 Lynda Newnam

Date	Venue Details
22/10/2021	Via Video conference, Sydney	Schedule	Transcript
09/12/2021	Jubilee Room, Parliament House, Sydney	Schedule	Transcript
10/12/2021	Jubilee Room, Parliament House, Sydney	Schedule	Transcript
08/04/2022	Macquarie Room, Parliament House, Sydney	Schedule	Transcript

DateSort	Report Name	Tabled Date	Government Response
	Government response - Report No 16 - PC 7 - Planning and Environment - Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme	14/02/2023
	Report No 16 - PC 7 - Planning and Environment - Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme	24/11/2022

DateSort	Date	Type	Title
2022-11-24	24/11/2022	Media Release	Media release - PC7 - Integrity of the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme report released 24 Nov 2022
2022-10-20	20/10/2022	Correspondence	Minister for Environment to Chair, providing updates to the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme
2022-06-06	06/06/2022	Answers to Questions on Notice	Urban Taskforce - Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme - 8 April 2022
2022-06-02	02/06/2022	Answers to Questions on Notice	Department of Planning and Environment - 8 April 2022 hearing
2022-05-10	10/05/2022	Answers to Questions on Notice	Mr Mark Adams, Meridolum - answers to committee questions
2022-02-10	10/02/2022	Answers to Questions on Notice	Department of Planning and Environment - 10 December 2021 hearing
2022-01-31	31/01/2022	Answers to Questions on Notice	Meridolum
2022-01-25	25/01/2022	Answers to Questions on Notice	Local Government NSW
2021-12-10	10/12/2021	Tabled Document	Email from Mr and Mrs Dykes to the NSW Government, undated, 'Our comments on the Biodiversity Offset Market', tendered by Mr Dykes
2021-12-10	10/12/2021	Tabled Document	Inquiry outcomes and/or changes we would recommend', tendered by Mr Dykes
2021-12-10	10/12/2021	Tabled Document	Data from Tricketts Arch Statement of Reasonable Equivalence to BAM Credits under the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme, tendered by Mr Dykes
2021-12-09	09/12/2021	Tabled Document	A Proposed Compensation Claim by FAP Nominees Pty Ltd for Investment Losses Incurred in the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme against the NSW Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust' - Independent Opinion on the Proposed Claim by Charles O'Neil FCIArb, dated 30 November 2021, tendered by Mr Lees
2021-12-09	09/12/2021	Tabled Document	Email correspondence with Department of Planning, Industry and Environment regarding updated biodiversity credits in transition to the Biodiversity Assessment Method, tendered by Mr Lees, dated 30 July 2020
2021-11-23	23/11/2021	Answers to Questions on Notice	Ms Rachel Walmsley, Environmental Defenders' Office
2021-11-23	23/11/2021	Answers to Questions on Notice	Ms Rachel Walmsley, Environmental Defenders' Office
2021-11-04	04/11/2021	Answers to Questions on Notice	Mr Bryan Jenkins, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Agenda - Wilton Site Visit (10 March 2017), Department of Planning and Environment, tendered by Mr Williams
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Wilton and Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Areas: Biodiversity Study (Eco Logical Australia) - prepared for NSW Department of Planning and Environment, 2017, tendered by Mr Williams
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Greater Macarthur Investigation Area: Biodiversity Assessment Report' (Eco Logical Australia) - prepared for NSW Department of Planning and Environment, September 2015
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Article dated 17 February 2021, titled 'Rescue plan for nature: How to fix the biodiversity crisis', NewScientist
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Photograph – Lawler's Well – formerly the only permanent water source in the Leard State Forest – 2011, tendered by Ms Anna Christie
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Photograph – Birds drinking from Lawler's Well – 2011, tendered by Ms Anna Christie
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Map 1 showing Leard State Forest – Exclusive Use Areas, Forestry Corporation, tendered by Ms Anna Christie
2021-10-22	22/10/2021	Tabled Document	Map 2 showing Leard State Forest – Exclusive Use Areas, Forestry Corporation, tendered by Ms Anna Christie
2021-06-29	29/06/2021	Media Release	Media release - PC7 - New Inquiry into the Biodiversity Offset Scheme

Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme

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Name	Role	Phone	Email
Stewart Smith	Director - Procedure	9230 3750	[email protected]
Peta Leemen	Principal Council Officer	9230 2354	[email protected]
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Gareth Perkins	Administration Officer	9230 2296	[email protected]

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Integrity of the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme

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