As one of eight executive members of the Country Mayor's Association, Narromine Mayor, Craig Davies gets his chance to air his views on issues around the upcoming election when speaking to Jaynie Seal on SKY News on Friday morning 24 March.

While it was initially suggested Mr Davies speak on mobile connectivity issues in country areas, Mr Davies said he has a far more important issue to address in his allotted six or seven minutes - the Biodiversity Offset Scheme (BDOS) which was introduced to NSW in 2017.

"Quite simply, the Biodiversity Offset Scheme is stifling the growth opportunities for our area," Mr Davies said.

In simple terms, the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme was developed to help offset the impact of development activities on the NSW's biodiversity. Under the scheme, developers are required to avoid or minimize the impact of their activities on biodiversity. If this is not possible, they must provide biodiversity offsets to compensate for the loss or damage caused by their development.

"We pay people to come up with this lunacy," Mr Davies said. "It is nothing but a tax on development in rural and regional NSW."

Mr Davies cites a proposed past development in Bourke as the perfect example of the negative effects the BDOS has.

"In 2018, Bourke Council decided to develop six and twelve hectare blocks for commercial purposes," he said.

"In a place where there was 9.5 per cent unemployment, this development could have been a real kick start for the community. But under the Biodiversity Offset Scheme regulations, buyers of these blocks would have been passed on the costs of what is considered environmental damage or changes to the block as assessed by BDOS staff. In this case, the development BDOS costs were estimated at $480,000 per block which is clearly ridiculous."

"Of course, the development could never eventuate with those added flow-on costs. The outcome was there was no development or investment, no jobs created and the Indigenous people did not get opportunities they could have."

Mr Davies said that adding to the pressure is that Western Plains house prices are rising and it is a struggle to find a rental property.

"In Narromine alone, house prices have gone up 44 per cent in 12 months and rental market up 40 per cent. And all along any development is hampered by the BDOS."

Mr Davies said he plans to use his platform on SKY News to push for amendments to the BDOS to relieve the burden of cost on regional and rural areas.

"I have met with people from the Housing Industry and we have been collating impacts of BDOS and where it has stopped projects from progressing. On average, the costs are an extra $50000 to $200000 per regional block."

"Love him or hate him, former Deputy Premier of NSW, John Barilaro once said the BDOS was the 'greatest handbrake on regional development in the history of the state', Mr Davies said. "If amendments aren't made, development is dead in the country."