As you may already be aware, I was a Member on the Portfolio Committee 7 inquiry into koala populations and habitat in NSW for over a year. The committee recently released our report warning that unless the state government took action the koala could be extinct in the wild by 2050.
The inquiry was established because of significant concern in the community about the future of Australia's most loved animal. Even before the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires it was clear that the koala in NSW, already a threatened species, was in significant trouble.
Then came the devastating bush fires. At least 5,000 koalas have perished, potentially many more.
The ongoing destruction of koala habitat through the clearing of land for housing, roads, agriculture, development, mining and forestry has severely impacted most koala populations in the state over many decades.
The committee found that this fragmentation and loss of habitat poses the most serious threat to koala populations and made a number of key recommendations that stronger action must be taken by government to protect and restore koala habitat on both public and private land.
The high level of engagement with this inquiry by individuals and stakeholders, the overwhelming majority of which expressed concern for the future of the koala, shows how widespread support is for government action to protect koalas.
In this newsletter you will find:
- Information on the Koala SEPP,
- The facts and fiction about the Koala SEPP,
- Information relating to koala population decline,
- Portfolio Committee 7 report into koala populations and their habitat in NSW.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
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