Koalas in NSW are in serious danger. In 2020, an upper-house inquiry uncovered shocking findings: without serious further action, Koalas in NSW will be extinct in the wild by 2050.
We cannot let this happen.
The NSW Minns Labor Government was elected on the promise to do more for Koalas. However, they are not taking the serious action required to reverse the extinction trajectory our precious Koalas are on. They have now been in power for over a year and they are still allowing the destruction of Koala habitat for development and they are still logging Koala habitat across our precious public forest estate.
They have committed to reviewing the NSW Koala Strategy. Following the release of a discussion paper, the review is now taking submissions from the community. This is an opportunity to lay out clearly what is needed to turn the fate of Koalas around from the dark awful path to extinction to the difficult but positive path to recovery. Together we can try to shape the future of Koala conservation and create meaningful policy.
We know what we need to do to give our iconic Koalas the best chance of surviving in this State. First and foremost, we must stop destroying Koala habitat. We must protect the areas where Koalas are now and expand and connect their habitat around where Koala populations are, so they can recover and expand too.
In order to achieve this we must:
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Amend planning and environmental laws to prohibit the clearing of Koala habitat, including prohibiting the use of offsets to justify the destruction of Koala habitat for development
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Immediately end native forest logging and implement plans to protect, regenerate and expand our protected area network
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Create a comprehensive network of corridors based on the needs of Koalas and other wildlife and considering the impacts of climate change
- Invest in comprehensive and adequate invasive species control across all tenures
Without bold urgent action, not only will we lose our iconic Koala, but their extinction, as an umbrella species, will mean catastrophic outcomes for many other native species too.
The Greens have a plan for the protection of Koalas, and with your help, we can ensure that genuine policy outcomes are achieved and our Koalas given the protection they so desperately need.
Extinction is forever - there is no going back once these animals are gone. We can not let that happen. The time to act is now!