The Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, is introducing legislation into NSW Parliament to impose new conditions on land acquisitions for National Parks to address growing community concerns in western NSW.

His move comes as Bourke mayor Lachlan Ford meets the responsible minister, NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe today (Friday 21 November), and a survey which showed overwhelming discontent on several issues which the Councillor said had cut the fabric and heart of his community.

Bellenbar on the Warrego River in the Bourke Shire has 13,764 hectares destined to become a National Park.

Brewarrina Shire loses 7,643 hectares for a new park.

Councils claim a number of jobs will be lost in their shires.

Money will leave their community and National Parks pay no rates to Council coffers.

Councillors and pastoralists also argue that above market rates were paid for the properties, artificially inflating land values in the region.

Cobar Shire Council mayor Jarod Marsden and his councillors have also vented their concern, joining other Western NSW Councils in a bid to stop more land buys of agricultural land.

The 13,456 hectares of Cobar’s Iona is among the latest purchases.

The three new National Parks add up to more 35,000 hectares to the national parks estate in New South Wales.

These three acquisitions nearly double new additions for the 2024-25 financial year to a total of more than 73,000ha.

The NSW national parks network now totals almost 7,774,000 ha.

Iona, near Cobar. [IMAGE: NSW National Parks]

Mr Butler has notified NSW Parliament of his intention to introduce the National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Land Boundaries and Acquisitions) Bill 2025. 

The Bill is a response to feedback from Mr Butlers’ survey of local views on National Parks.

Before any land can be acquired for a National Park, the Bill would require a report detailing the economic impact and the environmental goals of the purchase.

Local councils would be given the right to nominate a person to help prepare the report. 

“Recent conversions of working properties into National Parks in western NSW don’t appear to have considered the local economic impact,” said Mr Butler. “They’ve made promises about increased tourism that never seem to bear fruit.”

“It’s also often unclear exactly what is being protected by the new National Parks," Mr Butler said.

“In fact, my recent survey showed that just one in five people had seen environmental or economic benefits from local National Parks.

“My Bill would force consideration of the economic impacts and environmental goals of any proposed National Park purchase.

“Five years after any acquisition, the Minister would also have to report to Parliament whether those goals had been achieved.”

Mr Butler’s Bill would also require National Parks to pay rates to councils and share the costs of maintaining fences with neighbouring landholders.

“My Bill addresses many of the concerns that locals have raised with the acquisition of working stations and the ongoing management of National Parks,” said Mr Butler.

“Resolving these concerns is a win for locals and it’s also good for National Parks.”