Glen Innes Severn Council has secured full support from the Local Government NSW board for its motion backing the Australian Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmap, completing the council’s suite of motions from the 2025 LGNSW Annual Conference.
Biochar, a charcoal-like material made from plant and organic waste, is an addition to soil that provides many benefits, including increased crop yields, improved soil structure, and, as it locks carbon into the soil, it helps with greenhouse gas abatement.
The confirmation follows advocacy by Glen Innes Severn Council at the conference, where six of the council’s seven motions were carried on the floor. The remaining biochar motion was deferred due to time constraints and referred to the newly elected Local Government NSW board for determination.
In correspondence received by Council on 24 December, LGNSW advised that the board had resolved to support the motion, with an amendment.
The amended wording calls on both the NSW and Australian governments to support implementation of the Australian Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmap, where source material quality and production processes ensure beneficial environmental outcomes and contribute to negative carbon emissions.
The amendment recognises that biochar produced through modern technologies can deliver environmental benefits.
Mayor Margot Davis said the board’s endorsement marked a significant outcome for both the local government area and the broader region.
“This is a strong outcome for Glen Innes Severn and for regional NSW,” Cr Davis said.
“The amended motion reinforces the environmental and economic potential of biochar and strengthens the sector’s call for coordinated national action.”
Cr Davis said the emphasis on production standards was particularly important.
“The emphasis on source material quality, modern production processes, and negative carbon emissions reinforces the environmental value of biochar. This is exactly the kind of forward-looking, sustainable approach regional NSW needs,” she said.
Council said the advocacy outcome aligns with its ongoing support for local innovation, including its involvement in the SEATA Pilot, a demonstration project based in Glen Innes testing carbon-negative technology that converts organic waste into biochar and renewable gas.
The pilot is helping council assess both the environmental and economic potential of emerging clean-technology industries for the region.
LGNSW is expected to advance the adopted policy position with state and federal ministers, with council continuing to monitor progress.
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