More data doesn’t fix community concern. In fact, it can often make it worse.

In many projects across QLD and NSW, the instinctive response to community resistance is to provide more information. We release more studies, more technical detail, more reports. On paper, this makes sense. If people are concerned, surely better data will resolve the issue.

The NSW Government last month announced the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025 which would see a raft of changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (the EP&A Act).

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025 is due to be debated in NSW Parliament this month.

Environmental Project Manager Patric Illingworth explains some of the key changes proposed to the EP&A Act relevant to the assessment and approval of resourcing, energy and infrastructure projects below.