VIC Rehabilitation Bonds and Impact Assessments for Agricultural Land

Planning and Environment Amendment (Agricultural Land and Food Security) Bill 2026

Opposition Bill

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

Legislative Council

Legislative Assembly

Assent

Topics

agricultural land environmental protection farming productivity land rehabilitation land use planning renewable energy infrastructure

Introduced by: Melina Bath MLC (NAT)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Permit holders must provide a rehabilitation bond within one month of receiving a permit; failure to do so results in fines of up to 120 penalty units (2026: $25,092) for individuals or 600 for companies.
The Planning Minister can demand an additional bond if the original amount is too low to cover land restoration costs.
The Planning Minister can declare specific areas as strategic agricultural land based on soil quality, irrigation, or economic importance.
Decision-makers must prioritise the protection of strategic agricultural land; they must publish a statement explaining their reasons.
Applicants for renewable energy, mining, or major industry projects must provide an Agricultural Land Impact Assessment.
The Planning Minister or responsible authority must make these impact assessments public; they must consult Agriculture Victoria before making a decision.
Permit holders must pay to rehabilitate agricultural land once their permit expires.