I am pleased to speak in support of the National Parks and Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill 2024. This bill makes amendments to the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 to revoke around 144 hectares of land from seven national parks and reserves in the national park system. The revocations will enable delivery of government infrastructure projects, together with some smaller scale sensible proposals to improve boundaries with park neighbours and local councils. The bill includes one re‑categorisation of a nature reserve to an Aboriginal area under the National Parks and Wildlife Act in recognition of the reserve's Aboriginal cultural values. National parks are our most protected natural assets. They contain some of our most significant cultural places and protect our most precious natural assets.

Revoking land from our national parks system is therefore a decision we do not take lightly. Revocations are considered only as a last resort and when no other practical options are available. The fact that an Act of Parliament is required to alter the boundaries or revoke land that is reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act is an important part of the high level of protection they deserve. However, from time to time it is necessary and justified to revoke land from national parks and reserves to, first, address boundary errors or inadvertent encroachments; second, ensure the most appropriate management authority owns and manages community assets, such as utilities and roads; and third, to enable new priority public infrastructure projects to proceed. These are small areas of land and do not detract from the Government's commitment to increasing the proportion of New South Wales that is protected in the national parks system to protect biodiversity and cultural heritage and support local businesses.

This is particularly important in my electorate. The World Heritage‑listed Blue Mountains National Park is iconic and attracts visitors from our own city, our own State, and from across the world. Our commitments in this regard are clear and unambiguous. They include: to create the Great Koala National Park; to establish a koala national park along the Georges River; and to complete the National Parks Establishment Plan to identify priority areas for addition to the national park estate, including under‑reserved habitats and species and areas critical for connectivity. In addition, we continue to make significant investments in delivering new visitor infrastructure that supports access to and appreciation of the New South Wales environment and underpins the economic benefit national parks contribute to New South Wales.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service is establishing a network of 13 Great Walks to deliver world‑class multi‑day walking experiences in some of the State's most spectacular landscapes. Seven of the 13 New South Wales Great Walks are operating and six are in development. Over 14 million Australians regularly participate in walking for exercise and 5.5 million people go walking or hiking. The recently launched Grand Cliff Top Walk is a shining example—19 kilometres, a two‑day walk with a variety of off‑park accommodation options. I encourage everyone to come up to the mountains and give the Grand Cliff Top Walk a try.

I now turn to the plans of management and the role of consultation. An important feature of the National Parks and Wildlife Act is the requirement that plans of management be prepared for all parks and reserves managed by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. Plans of management are important documents for park managers and the public. These plans set out the future management directions for a park over a five‑ to 10‑year period and, once adopted by the Minister, the plan must be implemented by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Most importantly, the preparation of plans of management for our national parks and reserves includes a significant and important consultation component. The bill proposes amendments to the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 that will clarify some aspects of the preparation of park plans of management. The amendments do not change current process. The bill will amend the National Parks and Wildlife Act to make the process of developing a plan of management clearer. These changes will benefit everyone with an interest in the management of our national parks and reserves, including local communities and stakeholders.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service actively engages with local communities, stakeholders, the public, and the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council and regional advisory committees in the development of plans. This includes a requirement for a draft plan to be publicly exhibited. Seven draft plans of management have been publicly exhibited in the 2023-24 period so far. This community involvement during development of a plan of management makes it even more important that the process for developing plans is clear and consistent. The amendments proposed to the National Parks and Wildlife Act by this bill will do just that. They will make clear what matters are to be considered in preparing a plan, what content must be included in the plan, and under what circumstances and to whom the plan must be referred before its adoption. That is a small step in clarifying the requirements for plans of management and does not rule out any further improvements to the process for developing those plans.

The bill proposes amendments to clarify the process of developing a plan of management. Section 72AA of the National Parks and Wildlife Act sets out the matters to be considered during preparation of a plan of management. Amendments are proposed to section 72AA of the National Parks and Wildlife Act to separate out which matters must be considered in the development of the plan from the essential contents of the plan. That is a minor structural adjustment to section 72AA. No changes are proposed to the existing list of matters to be considered. The required contents of the plan will now be specified in a new section 72AB of the National Parks and Wildlife Act. That will specify that the plan of management must set out the objectives of the plan of management and operations proposed to be carried out on the land. The new section will identify that those objectives and operations must be consistent with existing reserve management principles and the purpose and objects of the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Those changes will ensure that plans of management reflect the purpose and intent of the National Parks and Wildlife Act and that future management of the park or reserve is clearly articulated so that the community and key stakeholders can provide meaningful input during the consultation process.

The bill also simplifies and clarifies the referral requirements for plans that cover lands that are within or drain into catchment areas and special areas of a water authority. The Act already requires plans of management to be referred to the relevant water authority. The bill will amend section 74 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act to remove a duplicating requirement to refer plans of management to the Secretary of what is now the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water if the relevant water authority is the Hunter Water Corporation. That simplifies the process, makes it more efficient and avoids any complications around machinery of government changes. The amendments will not change any existing requirements to consult with Hunter Water Corporation if the plan of management applies to lands in its area of interest or provisions requiring the Minister for the environment and the Minister administering the Hunter Water Act 1991 to jointly adopt certain plans of management.

Finally, the bill proposes amendments to clarify referral requirements for plans of management for parks in relation to fishing activities, aquatic threatened species and marine or aquatic reserves. It is important to note that the bill does not change the intent of the National Parks and Wildlife Act in relation to plans of management. Plans of management must continue to be consistent with the management principles that the National Parks and Wildlife Act sets out for each type of reserve and the purpose and objects of the National Parks and Wildlife Act. There is also no change to the comprehensive consultation process that is a crucial part of the development of every plan of management. It is important to stress that the bill does not change the requirement for a plan to be prepared for every park and does not lessen the opportunity for scrutiny of or input to the draft plan from the community, stakeholders or other government departments with an interest in a park.

The Government recognises that involving stakeholders and communities in the development of park plans of management makes for better plans and improved conservation outcomes. The bill reflects the Government's desire to continue that rigorous planning process and to continue to encourage public participation in planning for the future of our most precious places.