Campbelltown MP Greg Warren has taken a sledgehammer to the state government over its neglect of koalas, especially the local colony.
In the wake of a new report which concluded that koalas are at more risk of extinction than ever before, Mr Warren has called for urgent action.
He says that in the past 11 years the NSW Government has failed to put in provisions to protect koalas throughout the state – including here in Campbelltown.
Mr Warren warned that it would be the local koala colony which ultimately paid the price for the NSW Government’s failures.
“The Campbelltown koala colony is so precious to our local community,” Mr Warren said.
“We have urged, begged and demanded that the NSW Government do all it can to protect and preserve our local koalas.
“But unfortunately those calls have repeatedly been dismissed,” he said.
Mr Warren said the list of failures of the NSW Government to protect koalas includes:
Land clearing has been allowed to increase to unsustainable levels while the Liberals and Nationals have fought amongst themselves.
Ninety percent of koala populations across NSW are in decline.
The NSW Government abandoned the Koala Recovery Plan and instead replaced it with a koala strategy that was underspent and is now out of date; there is no date for when this will be released.
After promising to save the disease free koala population in Campbelltown, the bulldozers are knocking down their trees right now.
National Parks funding has been cut to the bone while the protections for koalas in state forests have been reduced.
The biodiversity offset system is managing decline, not saving the animals it is supposed to protect.
Mr Warren’s colleague, Penny Sharpe, the shadow environment minister, was also scathing of the NSW Government’s failure to not only help the native animals thrive but also survive.
“For the past 11 years, the NSW Government has neglected the plight of koalas and now we could lose them forever,” Ms Sharpe said.
“They need to stop the neglect and immediately put in place a koala recovery plan.
“The clock is ticking on our precious koalas.
“We do not want to be the generation that allowed koalas to become extinct in the wild,” Ms Sharpe said.
Thank you Greg, Penny and SWV we now have Greens, AJP and Labor on side trying to protect koalas
Dear Editor,
Last Friday the Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley declared koalas as “Endangered”, this news went around the world because koalas are an iconic species loved around the world. They are a heritage for humanity.
This classification will not save koalas from extinction if the destruction of their habitat is not stopped immediately.
On Mount Gilead, Campbelltown a few kilometres from Sydney, the last healthy free of chlamydia koala population in NSW is threatened by Lend Lease development. Beautiful trees over 200 years old home to birds and fauna have been cut down.
This expanding and chlamydia free koala population must be saved NOW, we need to protect their habitat and corridors from development and providing safe under crossings.
We dont need to be building housing estates on their remaining habitat.!
The NSW Chief Scientist recommended against development on Mount Gilead. Many promises have been made and not put in place.
Is this the legacy they will leave to future generations?
The world is watching.
Kind regards.
Paola Torti
ITALY
My apologies thank you Jodi
Thank you for your support for the koalas In Campbel “koala” town as was once known..
As you have rightly said, we must ALL do as much as we can to pressure the NSW government to stop all habitat destruction and at all costs now.
You have my support via Facebook all the way from the uk.
KLM – koalalivesmatter
#savethekoalas
❤️🐨🙏
Thankyou to Greg Warren, Mike Freelander, Anoulack Chanthivong,Terri Butler, Nathaniel Smith, Cate Faehrmann,Penny Sharp,Wollondilly Councillors, National Parks Association Members, Country Womens Associiation Members, Greens Councillors, Animal Justice Party Councillors, The Press, Public Servants, Council Officers, Environmental Groups,those who care in Australia and around the world.
Thankyou for caring to save our beautiful Koalas who can’t call out the overdevelopment in Mount Gilead, Figtree Hill and Wilton by multiple developers.
The line has been drawn in the sand with the announcement of Koalas being listed as ENDANGERED.