Nationals land bill slammed for reviving ‘koala wars’ ahead of NSW election

A controversial new law stripping councils of their power to regulate logging on private property has reignited the ‘koala wars’ as activists warn of a bleak future for the embattled marsupial.

UPDATE: On Monday, Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders announced that the NSW Government would no longer be pursuing the land reform bill following backlash from Coalition MPs, stating that it required “further consultation”.

South coast leaders say a controversial new law stripping councils of their power to regulate private logging has reignited the “koala wars”.

As activists warn of a bleak future for the embattled marsupial, the law tabled by National’s Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders on Wednesday seeks to significantly reduce the regulation placed on native forest activity across the state.

The law would effectively remove the role local councils have in restricting activity on private land.

Critics of the bill claim the move undermines the State Government’s commitment to protecting the endangered animal by opening up more industrial native forest logging on privately-held land, much of which holds the state’s scarce remaining koala habitat.

In the past year, Eurobodalla Koala Project researcher Keith Joliffe said volunteers had recorded only three koala sightings across the region.

“The koala numbers on the south coast are extremely low,” he said.

“The current NSW Government has not maintained the level of protection that was previously there.

“The protections that used to be in place have been slowly wound back.”

Nonetheless, Mr Joliffe said local landowners were keen to see koalas protected, but admitted it required the “goodwill” of farmers.

“We work with private landowners who are very keen to preserve the bush,” he said.

Eurobodalla Koala Project lead researcher Keith Joliffe. Picture: Facebook

“These kinds of people are doing exactly the opposite of the what the government is proposing.

“But, I suspect many farmers are interested in how the natural assets of their land are useful for the productivity of their farms.”

Currently, logging on private land requires approval from the Local Land Service, the key regulatory authority for agriculture.

In some areas, local councils have introduced their own measures to kerb or control the practice, including by development consent.

Independent MLC Justin Field said the proposed bill would cut councils out of the process entirely, leaving them with little say over their LGA.

“The real issue here is that councils are having their rights removed,” he said.

“The local communities want to be protected from the impacts of industrial logging, and many councils are doing that by restricting logging.

“Logging has a real impact on neighbours, on local infrastructure, on roads, on bridges.

“This is a bad idea: crazy politics, crazy policy.”

Mr Field said the changes were a “core element” of laws brought to state parliament at the height of the so-called “koala wars” in 2020, which led to a stand-off between the NSW Liberals and its governing partner the NSW Nationals Party.

Justin Field MLC. Picture: Facebook

That confrontation ended when Liberal MP Catherine Cusack crossed the floor and voted against the bill.

Ms Cusack has since resigned from parliament.

In the intervening years, Mr Field said koalas had been “up-listed”, and were more at risk than ever.

“The koala is in danger of becoming extinct, according to federal environment law,” he said.

“And yet, with Ms Cusack gone, the Nationals see an opportunity to try again with this law.

“They don’t like the idea that a local council can tell a land owner what they can and cannot do on their land.

“But there is already growing opposition to the bill, including from NSW Liberal party members inside the government.

“Mr Perrottet has misread the community mood. He hasn’t realised the opposition that is going to be unleashed.”

Speaking to this publication on Thursday, Mr Saunders accused Mr Field, who will retire in 2023, of being “disingenuous” about his criticism.

“Mr Field is running a campaign for a teal candidate that doesn’t exist yet,” he said.

“He’s trying to call out factions in a coalition government that’s functioning extremely well.

“I’d be calling him out: instead of pretending to be calling out the government, call out yourself and own up to the fact that you’re running a campaign based on this.”

Rather than restricting councils, Mr Saunders claimed the bill would free up local government to “do other things they’re capable of”.

He further claimed some councils were politically motivated, and were trying to “stop progress”.

“With the codes we have, the Local Land Services have the capacity and manpower to be doing this work,” Mr Saunders said.

“If we get this bill through, the codes will have more power because they will be completely enacted by Local Land Services.

“Rather than a council having the ability to actually stop moving things ahead.

NSW Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders introduced a bill in state parliament on November 10 to kerb controls local council’s have on private land clearing, which critics claim has re-ignited the ‘koala wars’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“Council doesn’t need to play a role here.”

Mr Saunders also claimed any connection with koalas and the so-called “koala wars” was “absolute rubbish”.

“The Koala Management Plans still exist,” he said.

“There are existing prohibitions on harvesting old growth forest or rainforest.

“Our farm foresters have been doing this for over 100 years and you would not find a more responsible group of people than those that actually grow timber on their properties.

“We protect koalas and we produce well-binding timber. Timber which we need for the housing scenario we’re facing at the moment with a shortage of homes.

“And, we’re doing it environmentally friendly and ecologically sustainably as opposed to importing timber.”

Mr Saunders said the ability for landowners to privately harvest timber was “crucial” for timber supply.

“But, it’s still done under very, very strict conditions,” he said.

“In private forestry, you’re not allowed to roll in with a bulldozer or a grater and start knocking over trees.

“You are allowed to selectively harvest with a plan that’s approved by Local Land Services, only around the trees you’re allowed to harvest.

“It’s very simple, the forest regenerates. This is a naturally regenerative organic material that protects the environment and protects our timber supply.”

Shoalhaven City Council mayor Amanda Findley. Picture: Supplied

Shoalhaven City Council mayor Amanda Findley said she was supportive of rules requiring landowners to consult with the government before undertaking any land clearing, adding that if the government sought to limit councils’ powers there needed to be tougher regulation.

“I don’t think the adequate protections are in place,” she said.

“There’s no way of replacing larger tress that are the habitat for koalas, but also birds.

“The fines that are in place now aren’t enough to stop people taking trees out. They’d rather wear the fine and just take them out.”

Ms Findley will represent The Greens in the 2023 state election, contesting the South Coast seat in 2022.

She said she believed voters would take environmental concerns with them to the polls.

“The majority of people in the Shoalhaven support koala protection,” she said.

“They’re synonymous with Australia.”

Mr Field agreed, stating the bill would only increase support for “teal”-style independents sensitive to environmental issues.

But, for researchers like Mr Joliffe, there is already too much politics in the push to save koalas.

“There will certainly be a big fight over this,” he said.

“There is a lot of goodwill out there and a lot of people who care deeply about koalas.

“Politics just messes it up.”

Originally published as Nationals land bill slammed for reviving ‘koala wars’ ahead of NSW election