General News
14 February, 2026
Roy Butler reads bill on National Parks for second time in parliament
Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, delivered his second reading speech on Thursday on legislation that would impose new conditions on land acquisitions for National Parks.
The National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Land Boundaries and Acquisitions) Bill 2026 is a response to feedback from Mr Butler’s survey on local views on National Parks in late 2025.
The Bill's provisions would require the Minister, before acquiring land under the National Parks Act, to obtain a report on the policy objectives of the acquisition. The local council, where the land is located, would nominate a temporary member to the regional advisory board to prepare the report.
The Bill would also prohibit the acquisition of land under the Act until alternative arrangements are made to apportion the cost of fencing boundaries under the Dividing Fences Act 1991 and to apply local government rates to the land reserved under the National Parks Act.
In Mr Butler’s second reading speech, he says –
“The purpose of this Bill is to ensure that, when land is acquired for the National Parks estate, the purchase adds value not only in environmental terms but also to the local community where the land is located.
“We have a situation in NSW where the alleged environmental value of land is often prioritised over the social impacts on small communities bordering National Parks. This is not good enough.”
