FOKE committee members Christiane Berlioz along with our Vice President Janine Kitson continue their valuable role on the Leadership Group of BPN.

The aims of BPN are to actively promote the planning principles outlined in the BPN Planning for People Charter and to represent the interests of members and communities to government.

BPN continues to inform members such as FOKE (a foundation group member) of government policies and processes in the context of the many new planning changes across NSW. BPN Continues to participate in monthly online stakeholder meetings organised by the Department of Planning, Heritage, and Infrastructure. These meetings provide an opportunity to hear from Department staff on key initiatives and offer a valuable platform for engaging with Department staff, allowing stakeholders to pose questions, provide comments, and facilitate discussions.

Up to four representatives of the BPN Leadership Group have attended Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) monthly stakeholder meetings this year. While these meetings are largely information sessions, they allow BPN to provide significant feedback and raise pertinent questions on behalf of our members, which does result at times in changes to policies.

BPN achieved a significant outcome for the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy with regard to bushfire prone land. The first iteration of the Policy excluded no vegetation categories. After representations to DPHI, Category 1 vegetation zones were excluded. After further representations to Ministers and DPHI, all Category 1, 2 & 3 vegetation and their buffer zones were excluded from the Policy. An outstanding win for the community and its safety. BPN recently made a submission and gave evidence to the NSW Select Committee Inquiry on Rural Housing and Second Dwellings Reform. A regional representative kindly came to Sydney to give evidence and was ably assisted by the BPN Deputy Convenor. BPN also made a submission to the NSW Select Committee Inquiry on Access Restrictions to Public Lands and Waterways.

BPN made significant submissions on the Explanation of Intended Effect: Changes to Deter Illegal Tree and Vegetation Clearing, with a total of 23 recommendations made in the submission. Other submissions included an extensively detailed submission made on the Draft NSW Heritage Strategy which included numerous recommendations.

During the run up to the Federal election, BPN agreed to co-host a Meet the Candidates session with a small media outlet where the seat of the sitting member was seen to be at risk. It was a successful meeting with all candidates attending bar one, together with many residents. The session was promoted through the BPN network and the media outlet.

Representatives from the Leadership Group have given presentations to member groups regarding various planning changes. BPN has also provided articles on planning to media outlets.

Most recently BPN was active in campaigning against the Environmental Planning and Assessment (EP&A) Amendment Bill 2025. Scores of Upper and Lower House Members were emailed individually, members were provided with information on the proposed Bill, social media was used and members urged to contact MPs. Sadly, on Tuesday 11 November 2025, the Bill passed the Upper House with no changes, clearing the way for gazettal. This was a sad Remembrance Day for NSW. The amendments to the EP&A Act from this Bill dwarf any planning policy the NSW Government has thrust onto communities so far.

On Monday 20 April BPN was a witness and presented evidence at the ‘Inquiry into Access Restrictions to Public Lands and Waterways’ to the Select Committee on Access Restrictions to Public Lands and Waterways at Parliament House along with FOKE and the Friends of North Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment.

In April BPN formed a sub-committee ‘Doing Density Better’. The committee has been formed with representatives of resident groups across Sydney that are fighting State Government housing policies such as the Low and Mid-Rise housing policy which allows for 2 storeys and up to 6 storey residential development in R3 zones. FOKE has been invited to participate in the sub-committee meetings.

Read FOKE’s full Report 2025-2026:

August 2026