Koala Endangered Recommendation Must be Wake Up Call to Protect Habitat
News that the National Threatened Species Scientific Committee has recommended that koala populations in NSW, Qld and the ACT be uplifted from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’ should be a massive wake up call for the NSW Government to stop clearing koala habitat and save them from extinction, says Greens MP and environment and wildlife spokesperson Cate Faehrmann.
Cate Faehrmann chaired an extensive NSW Upper House Inquiry into Koalas which found that unless urgent action was taken to protect their habitat, koalas would become extinct before 2050 in NSW.
“Since the devastating bushfires which killed tens of thousands of koalas, the NSW Government has sat on its hands and done next to nothing to address the most urgent threat to the survival of koalas in this state - loss of habitat,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“Native forest logging, much of it in koala habitat, continues unabated, while the pace of clearing of koala habitat on private land for agriculture, forestry and new suburbs is absolutely frightening. It’s the Wild West out there right now and koalas don’t stand a chance.
“News overnight that the Threatened Species Scientific Committee has already recommended to the federal Environment Minister that the koala’s listing be upgraded should be a wake up call for more urgent action to be taken to stop the destruction of koala habitat.
“The NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Koalas made 42 recommendations to the government to ensure the ongoing survival of healthy koala populations in NSW. I urge the new Environment Minister and Agriculture Minister to take a look at them today.
“Since the NSW National Party’s attempt to ram through its disastrous Local Land Services ‘Koala-Killing’ bill was thwarted by a Liberal Party member crossing the floor on a critical vote in the NSW Upper House more than a year ago, the government has been silent when it comes to koala protection laws.
“They can’t stay silent anymore. With the knowledge that the koala should be listed as an endangered species, the NSW Government should now have the power to take strong action and stop the destruction of koala habitat,” said Cate Faehrmann.