Biosecurity

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) provides support and advocacy on behalf of member councils on biosecurity issues, including weeds and pests.

Weeds and pests threaten valuable agricultural industries, reduce the economic viability of communities, affect human health, and pose a major threat to our unique biodiversity. Weeds alone cost NSW $600 million and Australia $4 billion every year in lost production and control measures.

Biosecurity

Biosecurity is the protection of the economy, environment and community from negative impacts associated with pests, diseases and weeds. The NSW Biosecurity Strategy 2022-2030 focuses on a clear vision for biosecurity and food safety in NSW, shared objectives for government, industry, and communities and provides key activities to guide priorities, decisions, and actions across the state. The NSW Biosecurity Action Plan 2025-2026 aims to build capacity to effectively respond to biosecurity emergencies, strengthen the approach to compliance and enforcement, and promote coordinated and strategic planning for risk reduction on a landscape scale.

The Biosecurity Act 2015 establishes a general biosecurity duty to make sure responsibility for biosecurity risk is shared among government, industry and the community. This means if you deal with biosecurity matter or are a carrier, you need to identify the risks it may pose and act to manage or mitigate the risk.

Weeds management

Weed management has been the responsibility of local government in NSW for more than 100 years. Local control authorities (often councils) have specific responsibilities for the regulation of weeds. Councils can fulfil these responsibilities either individually or as a collective to harness resources and capabilities.

NSW DPI has developed Weeds and Biosecurity Handbook to provide an overview of the statutory responsibilities and functions given to local councils under the Act to manage weeds in their local government areas. Also see DPI's page about Local Government Responsibility for Weeds.

The handbook also identifies the training and support that is available to local control authority/council staff to assist them in their weed management role and describes the role of other key stakeholders that are responsible for weed management governance, implementation and planning in NSW.

Learn more

Pest Management

Local Land Services also has responsibility for coordinating Regional Pest Animal Committees, which have prepared five-year Regional Strategic Pest Management Plans.

Learn more

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