Legislation is making its way through the New South Wales Upper House to amend the Crown Lands Act, in an effort to protect licence agreements for hundreds of farmers.

The validity of over 1,400 grazing licences and associated tenures will be thrown into question if the amendments to not make it through the Upper House today.

The New South Wales Government had moved to amend the Crown Lands Act to enhance ministerial powers and the dispute process, hoping to create certainty for graziers facing tough times.

But the state’s Opposition says the moves are not in the interests of holders of the grazing permits, give the minister too much power and create a needlessly drawn-out dispute process.

NSW Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, says: “My issue is that I've got graziers in my area that are struggling in some extremely dry conditions and the last thing they need is to have these grazing licences potentially taken away.”

“[Amending the Act] guarantees those licences will continue and, those that are involved in grazing on Crown Land, that they have some surety they will continue won't be taken away.”

NSW Labor spokesperson, Mick Veitch, says: “There would be no one in the NSW Parliament that would oppose the grazing leases across Crown Land in NSW... we all understand their importance.”

“[But] the Bill itself contains some Ministerial over-reach,” he said.

“It introduces a new concept referred to as 'material harm' which contains no definition in the Bill and it also provides a dispute process that prevents people seeking legal redress for up to six months.”

A decision is expected sometime on Wednesday afternoon.