The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad has welcomed a landmark private member’s bill in the Victorian Parliament, to protect the state’s most strategic agricultural land from being permanently lost to poorly considered development.
The Planning and Environment Amendment (Agricultural Land and Food Security) Bill 2026 was introduced into Parliament’s Lower House by Shadow Minister for Agriculture Emma Kealy.
Ms Broad said the Bill would ensure agriculture is treated as the important asset it is.
“Victoria produces about 28 per cent of Australia’s gross value of agricultural production, and Northern Victoria has some of the best agricultural land in Victoria,” Ms Broad said.
“Farmers are concerned that the planning system does not take into account what is actually being lost when these developments are approved on prime agricultural land.”
The Bill would set up a system to identify Strategic Agricultural Land and require Agricultural Land Impact Assessments for prescribed developments. It would also ensure Agriculture Victoria is consulted before significant decisions are made, as well as requiring agricultural expertise on advisory committees and Environment Effects Act inquiry panels.
The Bill would strengthen rehabilitation requirements through mandatory bonds and ongoing monitoring and create a public register to give Victorians greater transparency about the cumulative impact of development on agricultural land.
The Bill is the latest in a raft of measures from The Nationals to protect farmers, following on from previous commitments to:
- Scrap the Emergency Services Tax
- Stop VNI West
- Review Victoria’s entire Transmission Plan
- Repeal laws that remove a farmer’s right to say ‘no entry’ on their land
- Cancel fines issued by VicGrid
- Tackle farm crime
“A Liberal and Nationals Government will put our farming communities at the centre of the state’s planning systems,” Ms Broad said.
Media Contact: Linda Barrow 0484 303 764 linda.barrow@parliament.vic.gov.au
