NSW Parliament Gets a Say in What Happens to Victoria Barracks, Timor Barracks, RAAF Base Glenbrook, Lancer Barracks - After They Get Sold Off

Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Defence Lands Parliamentary Approval) Bill 2026

Opposition Bill

15 Oct 2026: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

government oversight land use public safety real estate urban planning

Introduced by: Anthony Roberts MP (LIB)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Planning changes that would rezone or materially change how a specified Defence site is used are banned unless both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council pass resolutions to approve them. This does not apply to actions taken solely for defence, emergency, or heritage purposes.
Any planning action taken on a specified Defence site without approval from both Houses of Parliament has no legal effect and cannot be used to start development.
People cannot expand, intensify, or change the use of a specified Defence site by relying on existing use rights unless they have the required parliamentary approval.
The NSW Government will not pay compensation if land value or development potential is affected by these new planning restrictions, unless the claim is for a compulsory land acquisition.
The Planning Minister can use regulations to add new land to the list of specified Defence sites or update their names, but cannot remove land from the list or reduce the size of a site.

News articles and press releases

Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Defence Lands Parliamentary Approval) Bill 2026

Mr ANTHONY ROBERTS, Member for Lane Cove — 2026-08-06

Where one of these specified defence sites ceases to be a Commonwealth place and becomes subject to the planning laws of New South Wales, no protected planning action may be taken without the prior approval of both Houses of this Parliament. That requirement will apply whether the land remains in Commonwealth ownership or has been transferred, leased or sold to another person. It will continue to apply despite subdivision, consolidation, a change in title particulars or any other dealing with the land.