The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020
(NPS-FM) and the Resource Management (National
Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020
(NES-F) were introduced in August 2020 as part of
the government's Essential Freshwater regulatory
package. A key focus of Essential Freshwater is preventing
further loss or degradation of 'natural wetlands'.
The 'natural wetlands' provisions in the NPS-FM and
NES-F have caused considerable issues throughout the country as
councils, applicants and other stakeholders have struggled with
their implementation. For example, there have been well-reported
concerns from the quarrying sector about effective prohibition of
existing quarry expansion. The 'improved pasture' exclusion
in the definition of 'natural wetland' has also caused
difficulties in distinguishing between 'natural wetlands'
and soggy paddocks.
