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NSW open inquiry into access restrictions on NSW public land

Following a debate on public access to public lands that arose out of the successful petition by Tony Crook (the outsider side podcast) the NSW Parliament has opened an inquiry into access restrictions on NSW public land.

The terms of reference from the NSW parliament website outlined below. Submissions accepted until 1 August 2025. If you give a damn about public access in National Parks, State forests, Crown land etc then pease put in a submission.



Terms of Reference:

SELECT COMMITTEE ON ACCESS RESTRICTIONS TO PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERWAYS Inquiry into access restrictions to public lands and waterways 

TERMS OF REFERENCE 

1. That a select committee be established to inquire into and report on access restrictions to public lands and waterways, including but not limited to Aboriginal land, heritage sites, national parks, crown reserves, state forests, crown land, state conservation areas, wilderness areas, conservation areas, water catchment areas, marine parks and aquatic reserves, travelling stock routes, unallocated crown land, fire trails and management roads, foreshore areas, river beds and riverbanks, local governmentmanaged parks and reserves, and areas under rehabilitation or former mining leases, disused railway lines for rail trails and all forms of access to waterways, bushwalking, hiking, camping, mountain biking, horse riding, fossicking and prospecting, four-wheel-driving, drone and remote observation activities, recreational and subsistence fishing, spearfishing, natural and traditional medicine and remedy gathering, food gathering including mushrooming, bee keeping, scientific research, educational or cultural activities, and cultural or conservation hunting, and in particular: 

(a) the current and projected extent and rationale of access restrictions across public lands, including the balance between environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation and public access 

(b) the social, economic and recreational impacts of access restrictions on local communities, recreational users and industries such as tourism, forestry and agriculture 

(c) the adequacy of government investment in maintaining and improving public access and infrastructure on public lands 

(d) the legislative and regulatory frameworks governing access restrictions, including any inconsistencies, gaps, or areas for improvement 

(e) suitable alternatives or models for managing public land access that balance conservation objectives with public access, including examples from other jurisdictions 

(f) the impact of restrictions on diverse user groups, including people with disabilities, Aboriginal communities and rural populations 

(g) consultation processes and the level of community engagement undertaken when implementing or reviewing access restrictions 

(h) the role of state and local government authorities and any other relevant entities, in managing and enforcing access restrictions on public lands, and 

 (i) any other related matter. 

The terms of reference for the inquiry were referred to the committee by the Legislative Council on  28 May 2025. 

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