Policies and regulations

The Aboriginal Procurement Policy (APP) will contribute to the NSW Government's strategic economic policy of Growing NSW’s First Economy. Government procurement provides a significant opportunity to increase skills and economic participation within the State’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The BASIX standards cover water, energy use and thermal performance. They apply to all new residential developments, as well as renovations more than $50,000 and swimming pools and spas of 40,000 litres or more. 

The Biodiversity and Conservation SEPP is a key environmental planning instrument in New South Wales that aims to protect and manage the natural environment through land use planning. It consolidates and updates provisions from multiple former SEPPs to streamline planning rules for water catchments, urban bushland, and World Heritage properties. 

The Commercial Building Disclosure Program is a national regulatory program that requires energy efficiency information to be provided in most cases when commercial office spaces of 1000 square metres or more when offered for sale or lease.

The NSW Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2025-2029 is the first state-wide adaptation action plan for NSW and will help us achieve greater climate change resilience.

The NSW Climate Change Adaptation Strategy sets out an ambitious approach to climate change adaptation. The strategy provides a framework that will strengthen and expand action to adapt to climate change now and over the long term. 

The Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 legislates our ambitious approach to addressing climate change.  It enshrines whole-of-government climate action to deliver net zero by 2050 and ensure a sustainable future for the people, economy and environment of NSW.

The Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap is the NSW Government’s plan to transform our electricity system into one that is affordable, clean and reliable for everyone.

The Energy Security Safeguard provides financial incentives to deliver cost-effective energy savings, reduce peak electricity demand and increase the production of green hydrogen.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 sets the structure for the NSW planning system. It provides the regulatory framework for planning decisions, including the assessment of development applications, making of planning instruments, and strategic environmental planning.

The 2025-26 Gender Equality Budget Statement has been aligned with the Performance and Wellbeing Framework to enable a gender lens to be applied to the wellbeing framing of the budget. 

Housing 2041 is a 20-year commitment to achieving the goals and ambitions for better housing outcomes and greater housing choice for the people of NSW.

The Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program aims to address skills shortages and increase diversity in the construction sector.

The NSW Government’s Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline provided the community, industry and regulators with information on the planning framework for the assessment and approval of state significant solar energy projects.

An Act to make provision with respect to slavery, slavery-like practices and human trafficking and to provide for the appointment and functions of an Anti-slavery Commissioner.

Multicultural Outcomes Reporting Framework : The Multicultural Outcomes Reporting Framework (previously known as the Multicultural Policies and Services Program) supports NSW Government agencies to embed multicultural planning into their core operations and report on progress to improve outcomes for culturally, religiously, and linguistically diverse communities across New South Wales.

The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) measures a building’s sustainability. It provides a rating from one to six stars for buildings efficiency across energy, water, waste and indoor environment. It also has calculators you can use to estimate your rating.

Our plan to achieve the commitments of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

The NSW Industry Policy sets a long-term vision and a clear direction for a strong, sustainable and resilient economy.

The Net Zero Commission monitors, reviews, and provides advice and recommendations on progress towards NSW’s emissions reduction targets and adaptation objective, with findings published in an annual report

The Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020-2030 is the foundation for NSW’s action on climate change and goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. It is both a challenge and an opportunity that will set our state up for a safe and prosperous future. This is why we're currently developing a new net zero plan to up the pace and ensure we reach our emissions reduction targets.

The NSW Government’s Net Zero Government Operations Policy (NZGOP) sets out the requirements for general government sector agencies with 100 or more staff to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the state’s legislated emissions reduction targets. 

The 10-year Innovation Blueprint is a 10-year plan to set out a long-term vision and policy priorities for the state’s innovation ecosystem to solidify NSW’s position as the innovation powerhouse of Australia.

The NSW Government’s Net Zero Government Operations Policy (NZGOP) sets out the requirements for general government sector agencies with 100 or more staff to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the state’s legislated emissions reduction targets. 

The Net Zero Industry and Innovation Investment Plan is our state’s first industrial emissions reduction plan. It demonstrates how we will support and partner with our manufacturing and mining sectors to cut emissions and boost resilience. 

The NSW Government is governed under a body of legislative measures. These measures help ensure we make appropriate decisions and provide certainty over government objectives.

Biodiversity Conservation Act

Government Sector Finance Act

Modern Slavery Act

The NSW Trade and Investment Strategy 2035 is a ten-year plan with clear targets to grow and diversify the State’s exports and attract investment to develop and strengthen new and existing industries and drive long-term economic prosperity.

The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme provides a mechanism to avoid, minimise and offset the impacts of development and some types of clearing on biodiversity in New South Wales.

A framework of the procurement objectives and the Procurement Board’s requirements as they apply to each step of the procurement process. The Procurement Policy Framework applies to the procurement of goods and services of any kind, including construction.

The Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018 provides rules for clearing native vegetation on rural land in NSW. It enables landholders to undertake certain clearing activities to improve agricultural productivity while ensuring environmental safeguards are maintained.

The Net Zero Roadmap 2025-2030 sets out the strategic approach NSW Health is taking to address the NSW Government’s net zero targets.

The Procurement Guidelines for NSW Local Government outline principles and processes that represent best practice in procurement. 

State and local planning legislation and policies set the rules that control what development can occur on your land.

Sustainable Buildings SEPP

This 20-year infrastructure investment plan includes a long-term objective to achieve an orderly and efficient transition to net zero. 

Social Impact Investment (SII) Policy 2.0: Growing our impact sets out the vision for SII in NSW  to deliver more investments in a simpler way, enhance sector capability, and to build a more diverse impact investment ecosystem.

Wind Energy Guideline will help the community, industry, applicants and regulators navigate the planning framework under which we assess wind energy. This guideline identifies key planning considerations relevant to wind energy development and provides policy and technical guidance on key issues of the technology.