This paper canvasses the ongoing NSW planning system reforms. Foreshadowed by the NSW Coalition prior to the 2011 election, the reforms involve wholesale change to the planning system including the development of a new Planning Act. Reviewed in the paper are divergent comments from selected stakeholders on four key areas of the proposed reforms; these...

This paper provides a statistical snapshot of indicators relevant to mining in New South Wales, including the quantity and value of mineral production, mineral consumption, mining export data, employment in mining, mineral income and royalties, major mining projects, mining lease entitlements, mining safety statistics and mining businesses. Mineral production and export statistics are described based...

This paper provides a statistical snapshot of indicators relevant to agriculture in NSW. These include agricultural production and income, exports by commodity, gross agricultural product, employment, agricultural conditions such as drought, agricultural water entitlements and land ownership. More than half of Australia's land mass is devoted to agriculture, primarily for cattle and sheep grazing and...

This paper presents background information on wind farms, examines NSW and Commonwealth regulatory regimes, and summarises recent policy developments. The current NSW Government's "NSW 2021" commits the State to achieving a 20 percent Renewable Energy Target (RET) by 2020. This target has been a major driver of wind farm development proposals across NSW. To assist...