Biodiversity Act

The South Australian Government is developing new legislation to protect and conserve biodiversity.

Our state does not currently have a dedicated Act to safeguard biodiversity, instead provisions exist across multiple laws, which has led to gaps in protections.

A new Biodiversity Act will seek to protect native plants, animals and ecosystems, ensuring there is a dual focus on both preventing damage to the environment as well as restoring nature. Importantly the Act will also incorporate the knowledge of Aboriginal South Australians in the management of land and respect for its ecosystems.

From the air we breathe to the water we drink, we rely on the earth’s biodiversity. If you’d like to learn more about the important role biodiversity plays in sustaining our everyday lives, check out our video with Tim Jarvis AM.

This page will be regularly updated with news, developments and announcements relevant to the Biodiversity Act. To stay informed, subscribe here.

What's been done so far?

Community consultation from December 2023 to March 2024 identified priorities for the new Act. A consultation report is available, summarising what we heard as part of this process.

Initial engagement with First Nations peak bodies and groups was undertaken in early 2024. Workshops were held in Adelaide, Ceduna, Port Augusta, Berri, and online. A consultation report from those initial workshops is available, summarising the feedback we heard in those sessions.

What’s happening?

A draft Biodiversity Bill is now open for community consultation.

The state government has released a draft Biodiversity Bill for public feedback, as part of its commitment to introduce new legislation that better protects animals, plants, fungi and algae, and builds resilience to the effects of climate change.

You can have your say on the draft Biodiversity Bill by visiting YourSAy by 18 February 2025: https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/draft-biodiversity-bill

Online sessions will be held to seek feedback on the draft Bill from a First Nations audience. First Nations people or supporters who wish to register for these sessions can email BiodiversityAct@sa.gov.au.

What’s next?

We will consider all feedback provided to inform the Bill that will be introduced to the South Australian Parliament. We will publish the final draft Bill on YourSAy and this webpage.

South Australia’s biodiversity champion

We’re partnering with Tim Jarvis AM to help us inform the community about the development of the new Act and encourage people to get involved. Tim was named 2024 Australian of the Year for South Australia. He is an internationally recognised environmental scientist and adventurer, with more than 25 years of experience in both disciplines. Tim is passionate about environmental advocacy which is reflected in the wide range of initiatives he supports and works on, including supporting conservation charities, his recent 4 years of patronage of Nature Play SA and 5 years’ service on the board of Zoos SA who are leading work in endangered species conservation.

Keep up to date

From government to industries and individuals, all of us must to come together to address the challenges facing our biodiversity. To get involved and keep up-to-date: