Regulatory Impact Statement for the Proposed Local Land Services Regulation 2025

Background

Local Land Services (LLS), a New South Wales Government agency, delivers essential services across biosecurity, emergency management, primary production, and natural resource management. The existing Local Land Services Regulation 2014 was scheduled for staged repeal in September 2025, prompting the need for a comprehensive review and update. Without a replacement regulation, LLS’s ability to operate effectively and deliver critical services to farmers, landholders, and communities would be severely compromised.

To address this, LLS initiated the development of a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) to assess the implications of remaking the regulation. The RIS was required under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989 and formed the basis for public consultation and legislative decision-making.

Our Role

NineSquared was engaged by Local Land Services to prepare the Regulatory Impact Statement for the proposed Local Land Services Regulation 2025. Our team undertook a detailed analysis of the existing regulation, assessed three policy options, and evaluated their impacts, costs, and benefits:

• Option 1: Remake the existing regulation without changes.
• Option 2: Allow the regulation to lapse.
• Option 3: Remake the regulation with targeted amendments.

NineSquared’s analysis found that Option 3—remaking the regulation with amendments—was the preferred approach. This option retained the existing policy intent while introducing structural simplifications, clearer language, and modernised provisions. Notably, a material change was proposed to formally designate Cobar Shire Council as the controlling authority for three stock watering places in Central West NSW, improving governance and asset management.

Our work included clause-level assessments, cost-benefit analysis of proposed changes, and sensitivity testing to ensure robust recommendations. The final RIS provided a clear rationale for regulatory reform and supported LLS’s strategic objectives under the Local Land Services Act 2013.

Outcome

The RIS concluded that remaking the regulation with amendments would deliver broad benefits to government agencies, businesses, communities, and the environment. It would ensure continuity of services, improve regulatory clarity, and strengthen LLS’s operational capacity.

Learn more

Explore how NineSquared supports government agencies with regulatory economics and policy development: https://www.ninesquared.com.au/projects