Native vegetation
Submission to biodiversity legislation review (September 2014)
Final report - Listing Yellow Mimosa as a feral native species (April 2013)
Submission to biodiversity legislation review

The Commission provided a submission to the Independent Biodiversity Legislation Review Panel. This submission presents the Commission's thinking to date on the Independent Panel's review of the Native Vegetation Act 2003, Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and related biodiversity legislation, policies and programs.
Feral native species listing
In 2013, the then Minister for the Environment requested the Commission to provide advice on the proposed listing of Yellow Mimosa (Vachellia farnesiana) as a feral native species in the then Border Rivers-Gwydir, Namoi and Central West Catchment Management Authorities (CMA) regions, as well as across all of NSW.
The Commission provided its final report to the Minister recommending that Yellow Mimosa be listed as a feral native species in these regions and across the state.
Reasons to list Yellow Mimosa include:
- it is found outside of its ‘natural range’ as defined in the Native Vegetation Regulation 2005
- it is likely impacting both environmental and economic values in a negative way, for example, potentially reducing habitat quality, increasing soil erosion and causing economic loss to agricultural production
- it needs to be contained before it can establish in new areas and becomes widespread
- improved control will likely deliver environmental and economic benefits to landholders and NSW.
The Commission's report also provides advice on other issues that were raised by stakeholders. For example, expanding or replacing the current decision rule to define native vegetation and ensuring current and future regulation and strategies for both native and non-native weeds contribute to agreed whole-of-government outcomes for weed management, in particular for new and emerging weeds.
The Minister announced on 30 August 2013 that Yellow Mimosa has been listed as a feral native plant species under native vegetation regulations. This decision was based on the Commission's recommendations.
Submissions on feral native species listing
As part of its review, the Commission received and considered the following submissions:
- Country Women's Association of NSW
- Macquarie Valley Weeds Advisory Committee Inc.
- Nature Conservation Council of NSW and National Parks Association of NSW
Relevant information
- Commission's issues paper
- INS-FNS Change Control Panel recommendations
- Border Rivers-Gwydir and Namoi CMA recommendation
- Central West CMA recommendation
- Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA recommendation
- Hunter-Central Rivers CMA recommendation
- Lachlan CMA recommendation
- Murray CMA recommendation
- Murrumbidgee CMA recommendation
- Northern Rivers CMA recommendation
- Southern Rivers CMA recommendation
- Western CMA recommendation
Previous advice
The table shows the Commission's previous advice to Government. Submissions on the previous assessments are listed below the table.
Commission's previous advice to Government
Reference | Date received | Proposed amendments | Submissions | Status |
A | Dec 2010 | Chapter 8 | See below | Advice provided (Feb 2011) |
B | Dec 2009 | Chapter 7 | See below | Advice provided (Feb 2010) |
C | Apr 2009 | Chapters 2 and 5 | See below | Advice provided (May 2009) |
D | Nov 2006 | Revised general | See below | Advice provided (Jan 2007) |
E | Nov 2006 | Chapter 6 | See below | Advice provided (Dec 2006) |
F | Nov 2006 | General | N/A |
Withdrawn |
G |
Aug 2006 | Chapter 7 | See below | Advice provided (Oct 2006) |
H | Feb 2006 | Revised Chapter 4 | N/A |
Advice provided (Mar 2006) |
I | Dec 2005 | Chapter 4 | N/A |
Withdrawn |
Submissions on previous assessments
- Border Rivers Gwydir Catchment Management Authority
- Central West Catchment Management Authority
- Combined submission—led by Nature Conservation Council
- Environmental Defender's Office of NSW
- Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority
- Industry and Investment NSW
- Lachlan Catchment Management Authority
- Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority
- Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority
- Namoi Catchment Management Authority
- Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority
- Mr Ron Sokolowski
B. Chapter 7 (Invasive Native Scrub Assessment)
- Botanic Gardens Trust
- NSW Department of Industry and Investment
- Namoi CMA
- Western CMA
- David Eldridge
C. Chapters 2 and 5 (Biodiversity Assessment)
- Border Rivers Gwydir CMA
- Environmental Defender's Office
- Hawkesbury Nepean CMA
- Hunter Central Rivers CMA
- Lachlan CMA
- Lower Murray Darling CMA
- Murray CMA
- Murrumbidgee CMA
- Namoi CMA
- NSW Farmers' Association
- Southern Rivers CMA
- Sydney Metropolitan CMA
- Western CMA
E. Chapter 6 (Soil Assessment)
G. Chapter 7 (Invasive Native Scrub Assessment)
- Cobar Vegetation Management Committee
- Combined environment groups
- Dick Condon (LATE - Not considered for this review)
- NSW Farmers Association
- Regional Community Survival Group
- Terry Mazzer