Just two prosecutions for ‘unexplained land clearing’ made since NSW Coalition changed rules

In total around 180,000 hectares of unexplained land clearing has occurred in NSW over the past three years of reporting, according to recent data. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The New South Wales government has completed just two prosecutions into “unexplained land clearing” since 2017 when the Coalition introduced a much more liberal regime to allow clearing of native vegetation.

Clearing has risen by 73% since the new laws were introduced.