LANE COVE MP Anthony Roberts is pushing for new measures to bolster protections for Paddington’s Victoria Barracks and other treasured defence heritage sites across greater Sydney.
Mr Roberts, who is also Shadow Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism and Shadow Minister for Corrections, has introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Defence Lands Parliamentary Approval) Bill 2026.
The private member’s bill supported by the Liberal and National Opposition would ensure the future of five significant New South Wales defence sites cannot be determined behind closed doors or through ordinary planning processes alone.
The move follows the Commonwealth Government’s announced decision to wholly or partly divest Victoria Barracks at Paddington, HMAS Penguin at Mosman, RAAF Base Glenbrook, Timor Barracks at Dundas and Lancer Barracks at Parramatta.
While differing in age, character and present use, Mr Roberts said in a statement that each site formed an important part of the military, civic and architectural history of New South Wales.
He said they were places where generations of Australians have trained, served, lived and commemorated those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
NSW Senator Jess Collins, who is also campaigning for protection of the defence sites, praised Mr Roberts’ efforts.
“We are lucky to have Anthony Roberts fighting to save defence bases like Victoria Barracks and Lancer Barracks being sold off to developers,” she said.
“Victoria Barracks and Lancer Barracks are more than just operating bases, they are sacred ground. Victoria Barracks is the home of the Army, but Albanese wants to turn it into homes for his mass migration agenda.”
Mr Roberts said the issue was beyond politics and his proposed measures deserved support from all sides of politics.
“I am hoping for bipartisan support on this bill, because I know that the community don’t want our defence bases sold off to developers,” he said.
“This will make defence bases worthless to developers, and will force the federal government to rethink this short-sighted cash grab.”Under the proposed legislation introduced by Mr Roberts, the approval of both Houses of the New South Wales Parliament would be required before any planning action could rezone a specified defence site, materially alter its planning controls or enable a significant change in its development, use, subdivision, density, scale or intensity.
Mr Roberts said the bill recognised that these places were not ordinary parcels of real estate.
“These sites are part of the living history of service in New South Wales. Their value cannot be measured simply by the return that might be achieved from a sale or by the number of apartments that could be placed on the land,” Mr Roberts said.
“Retaining a fa√ßade, installing a plaque or placing a small display in the foyer of a towering high-rise development is not the same as preserving the character, setting and living history of a military site.”
The bill would operate once a site was no longer a Commonwealth place and became subject to New South Wales planning law.
It would apply whether the land remained in Commonwealth ownership or was transferred, leased, sold or otherwise dealt with.
The protection would follow the land itself, meaning it could not be avoided through a change in ownership, subdivision, consolidation or alteration of title particulars.
Mr Roberts said the bill would also provide certainty before developers, financiers or other purchasers committed money on the assumption that a major rezoning or planning uplift would later be delivered.
“The men and women who served at these sites did not do so under party colours,” he said.
“Protecting their legacy should not be a partisan question.
“This bill asks Parliament to act before contracts are signed, development expectations become entrenched and irreversible decisions are made.”
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