Public Consultation Opens on Draft NSW Assessment Bilateral Agreement
Places named in this headline: New South Wales, Australia
The Australian Government has opened public consultation on a new draft assessment bilateral agreement with New South Wales, with submissions accepted until 5 pm AEDT on Thursday, 19 November 2026. The draft outlines how state assessment processes can be applied to evaluate projects under national environment law.
Bilateral agreements permit Australian states and territories to utilize their own processes for assessing projects under national environmental legislation. According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, these arrangements can reduce administrative duplication between levels of government and foster more efficient environmental assessments.
The existing bilateral agreement with New South Wales was updated in 2020. A new agreement is required following recent reforms to national environment law.
The updated draft agreement incorporates recent statutory changes, including the National Environment Standards, to establish how New South Wales processes will operate under the amended framework. Public feedback gathered during the consultation period will be used to help finalize the agreement.
Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
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