Barely a week after conservationists, business and community came together in Coffs Harbour to plan for the return of healthy koala populations across NSW1, the NSW Government has chosen to undermine all recovery efforts by stripping away restrictions on Private Native Forestry.
National Parks Association CEO Gary Dunnett said the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Private Native Forestry) Bill 20222 effectively removes local government’s ability regulate logging in private native forests.
“This amendment signals another chapter in the NSW Government’s Koala Wars, a brazen late-term push by the Nationals to open another 700,000 hectares of native forest to logging.
“Councils, such as Coffs Harbour, have worked incredibly hard to identify and protect high quality koala habitat in their regions. These amendments would replace local knowledge with open slather on the clearance of koala habitat.
“The community, scientists, non-government organisations and even politicians are crying out for immediate action to end native forest logging and save the koala.
“Only last week, 180 delegates gathered in Coffs Harbour for the Koala Conference talking about a vision forward to protect more habitat, including with the creation of the Great Koala National Park. A vision it now seems is held in contempt by the NSW government,” concluded Mr Dunnett.
ENDS
Media contact:
Grahame Douglas, President, NPA NSW and Gary Dunnett, CEO, NPA NSW 9299 0000
References
2. Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Private Native Forestry) Bill 2022 (PDF)
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