We’ve reached another crucial point towards laying the foundations for a revitalised Outback, with the Lands Minister Terry Redman announcing that he’s signed off on legislation to amend laws governing land use in WA’s Outback.

This is a welcome development. There has been pressure on the government to retreat from the reforms, as governments in previous decades have done, so their commitment to change must be recognised.

However, the full details of what’s in the legislation are yet to be revealed, so we don’t know what changes may have been made in the wake of the public consultation period that finished earlier this month. The Department of Lands received 3,330 written submissions from the public on new laws, which shows the depth of interest from people across WA in the future of our Outback. 

Many of you reading this blog will have taken part in that public submissions process, and there’s no doubt that your voices will have been heard and have helped shape the government’s work to this point.

But our work isn’t over yet – the draft Bill will have to undertake what is shaping to be an interesting passage through State Parliament in the coming months.

And of course, new laws are just the beginning – laying the foundations to enable a brighter future for people and nature in the Outback. 

If you need a reminder about what the new laws mean for our Outback, check out our infographic here.