SYDNEY, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Australia's federal government and the state government of New South Wales (NSW) have partnered together to make regional plans to achieve better environmental protection and faster business decision-making at four regional locations in the state.
Last week, the Australian government released its "Nature Positive Plan: better for the environment, better for business", saying that it would deliver regional plans to identify areas they want to protect, areas for fast-tracked development and areas where development can be undertaken with caution.
According to a statement released on Thursday, the NSW government will partner with the federal government to develop initial regional plans in four regions, including the reconstruction operations for flood-affected areas in the Northern Rivers, urban development growth in the Central Coast, renewable energy generation and storage in the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, as well as the heavy mineral sands deposits in the NSW component of the Loxton-Parilla Sands Basin.
"Having the necessary approvals in place from the get-go will provide certainty to landholders on the biodiversity value of their land and result in more homes being built faster, in the right places, without sacrificing essential conservation considerations," said NSW Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts.
The federal government is also partnering with the state government of Queensland to develop three bioregional plans in the state and looking to work together with other states and territories.
"By planning across a region, rather than approving individual projects, we can determine up front which sites must be protected from development because of their environmental significance," said Australia's Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek. ■