Biodiversity Act

The South Australian Government is progressing 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 on a draft Biodiversity Bill was undertaken between 21 January - 18 February 2025. Engagement with First Nations representatives also occurred during online sessions in February. A consultation report is available, as well as a First Nations engagement report.

Community and stakeholder feedback was carefully considered and helped to inform the finalisation of the Bill that was introduced to the South Australian Parliament in May 2025.

Earlier community consultation occurred from December 2023 to March 2024, which identified priorities for the new Act. A consultation report is available, summarising what we heard as part of this process, in addition to a First Nations consultation report,summarising the feedback we heard from various workshop sessions.

What’s happening?

The Biodiversity Bill is currently progressing through the South Australian Parliament.

What’s next?

The Bill will need to be passed by both Houses of Parliament before it can receive assent from the Governor to become law. Should the Biodiversity Bill become law (Act), a further consultation process will occur regarding the regulations for the Biodiversity Act.

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: