New strategy to find balance between koala protection and enabling new development

There are high hopes for a new strategy that aims to preserve Queensland’s koala population with claims that existing protections have failed.

Sue Laid with newly planted Koala habitat in Strathpine. Ms Laid is concerned about future development that will threaten Koalas ahead of National Tree day. (AAP/Jono Searle)

THERE are high hopes for a new strategy that aims to preserve Queensland’s koala population with claims that existing protections have failed.

The Australian Koala Foundation in May said koalas “may be functionally extinct” across the country while a report in 2014 by The University of Queensland claimed a 54.3 per cent decline in koala numbers in Pine Rivers between 1996 and 2014.

There are claims koala numbers have decreased even more since then as their habitat continues to be destroyed in order to meet the state government’s housing targets.

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The government last November created the Koala Advisory Council tasked with creating a new koala conservation strategy in Queensland.

This body, made up of conservation and development experts, will table a report to parliament next month with recommendations on how best to balance protecting koala habitat with enabling new development.

RSPCA Queensland CEO Mark Townend, who is leading the council, told Pine Rivers Press the new report would not be utopian, but would instead put forward realistic outcomes.

“We all know the fact that wildlife and people don’t always mix the best, but we have to ensure we protect koalas from further decline,” he said.

“Then if it’s safe for the koala it’s safe for other species as well.”

“There’s been some really good conversation and understanding from both the green and development groups on the council.

“They’ve got some compromise about them to achieve the aim to save the koala but they also know we’ve got to live here too.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and RSPCA CEO Mark Townend. Pic Peter Wallis

“I’m confident the recommendations will be realistic and reasonable and the majority of people will be reasonably happy with the outcome.”

Pine Rivers Koala Care Association president Sue Laird said after years of government reports, urgent action was needed now.

“With massive cuts to koala corridors, parks and reserves, the koalas that were placed in what was 54 per cent decline in this area in 2014 have had a massive decline five years on in well known koala habitats,” she said.

“Residents’ pleas to save them have fallen on deaf ears.”

Ms Laird said she wanted to see changes that would eliminate legal loopholes around land clearing and reduce red tape on the reporting of koala habitat destruction to local authorities.

“With a tick of the box, the authorising officer doesn’t even need to leave their desk to check the trees that have koalas in them, nor contact any wildlife group to receive statistics on koala movement through these trees,” she said.

“This is the case even when properties have “Matters of State Environmental Significance and Matters of Local Environmental Significance” overlays, or were deemed “offset” land for koala habitat planting from some other previously cleared koala habitat.

“Offset land should have had offset trees planted trees on it but this is not always the case.”

“Offset koala habitat could have been a lifesaver if implemented in the way it was intended.

“The delusional ingrained excuse of payment for cleared koala habitat is no excuse for clearing koala habitat.”

Ms Laird said the responsibility for protecting koalas had bounced between local and state government for too long.

“Both levels of government make it simple to develop a property with koala habitat, and are both appalling in their service of reporting koala habitat destruction,” she said.

“All of these excuses contributing to the decline in koala habitat and therefore koala numbers and stressed residents.”

The Koala Advisory Council (KAC) is made up of a range of stakeholders including Wilderness Society’s Gemma Plesman, University of Queensland associate professor Jonathan Rhodes, Kirsty Chessher-Brown from the UDIA and Mosaic Property Group’s Marina Vit.

Mosaic currently has an application with Moreton Bay Regional Council to develop land in Joyner South, which involves clearing some koala habitat trees.

A spokeswoman from the Department of Environment and Science said Ms Vit’s membership on KAC was to provide advice in relation to urban planning matters.

“At the start of each meeting the KAC members are asked to declare any conflicts of interest and these are taken into account by the chair,” she said.

“The Queensland Government is committed to implementing all of the panel’s recommendations and has developed the soon to be released South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy, which outlines how it will do so.”