[no bill text published] Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025
Independent BillLegislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Introduced by: Michael Regan MP (IND)
Links to official parliament websites
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Karen McKeown ALP
“I continue my contribution to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025, introduced by the member for Wakehurst. I reiterate that I acknowledge the member’s motivation and concerns in introducing the bill. I state that I also have a duty to speak for the people in my electorate of Penrith.”
Marjorie O'Neill ALP
“I speak in opposition to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025, introduced by the member for Wakehurst. As many members of the Government have said, I appreciate where the member for Wakehurst is coming from and the sincerity with which he brings the reform to the House.”
Lynda Voltz ALP
“The member for Wakehurst has introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025 with the best of intentions, but the Government cannot support it, as my colleagues have pointed out.”
Sally Quinnell ALP
“I contribute to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025. I acknowledge the member for Wakehurst and all the work that he has done, having started in Parliament at the same time as he did. One of the drives we shared in coming to this place was to better set up our communities for the kinds of disasters that we are talking about today.”
“I contribute to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025. From the outset, I must say that I have the greatest respect for the member for Wakehurst. I know that by introducing this bill he seeks to bring the concerns of his constituents to the House and to identify issues that they have brought to him.”
Liesl Tesch ALP
“I contribute to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025. I commend the former Mayor of Northern Beaches—”
Anna Watson ALP
“I contribute to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025, introduced by the member for Wakehurst. As nice as the member for Wakehurst is, I note that he is wearing a Manly tie.”
Clayton Barr ALP
“It is a real pleasure to contribute to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025, which was introduced by the member for Wakehurst, who I believe is Emeritus Mayor of the Northern Beaches. I agree with most matters the member brings to the House.”
Nathan Hagarty ALP
“I will make a short contribution to debate on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025, primarily because the member for Cessnock has encapsulated all the points I wanted to make, especially around U2.”
News articles and press releases
Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Bushfire Protection) Bill 2025
Mr MICHAEL REGAN, Member for Wakehurst — 2025-11-20
With the Government’s recent amendments to the planning Act, including the creation of the Development Coordination Authority, I hold serious concerns about downgrading the role of RFS expertise in decision-making about strategic planning. The bill is about safeguarding the role of RFS advice in strategic planning decisions. The bill does three things. Schedule 1 [3] and [4] to the bill amend section 10.3 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment [EP&A] Act, which relates to bushfire-prone land mapping, and to establish the NSW Rural Fire Service as the agency responsible for the State’s bushfire-prone land mapping. That includes reviewing bushfire‑prone land mapping every five years.