Campbelltown councillor Matt Stellino has taken his fight to save koalas to the beach, literally.
The Animal Justice Party councillor joined a rally outside the office of NSW environment minister James Griffin, who also happens to be the member for Manly.
His office is opposite Manly Beach, which made for a picturesque backdrop when Cr Stellino took to the microphone to address the National Save the Koala Day rally last Friday.
Cr Stellino said the environment minister had “failed’’ the koalas in his local area.
“Lendlease is putting a development right in the heart of some of our best koala corridors in Campbelltown, which are critical for our colony to stay healthy,’’ Cr Stellino said.
“I met with James Griffin and invited him to come stand on the land that his policies were affecting.
“His words to me were, you’ve made the effort to come and see me, let me make the effort to come and see you.
“Months went by, I never heard from him. And then I found out that he actually did take me up on the offer.
“He did come and visit the site – but he came as Lendlease’s guest.
“He took a private tour of Lendlease’s development site, was shown around in one of their 4WDs then carried on his merry way.’’
Cr Stellino also countered the minister’s announcement last week of a “koala habitat boost’’ in the Northern Rivers.
“He hasn’t announced additional koala habitat: he’s announced the planting of seedlings. They won’t become koala habitat for 30 years. Koalas don’t have 30 years,’’ Cr Stellino said.
“The money he has announced for his mass seedling spree would be better spent on retaining the existing forest that is in private hands. Pay farmers to keep mature trees,’’ he said.
“Koalas don’t live in seedlings. They live in trees.’’
