Ratepayers told to buy own koala bushland near Toohey Forest

Councillors from all political stripes voted that the Palaszczuk Government should conserve koala bushland in Brisbane’s southside. It comes after the state told council it would only sell the taxpayer owned land at a commercial rate.

RATEPAYERS have been asked to pay commercial rates to the Palaszczuk Government for koala bushland they already own as Queensland taxpayers.

The land, which borders Toohey Forest, has been at the centre of land clearing fears previously reported by the Southern Star, although the State Government told residents it was only fire breaks.

The council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to call on the State Government to conserve the land.

Brisbane City Council deputy mayor Krista Adams said the State Government had demanded the city pay commercial rates for 11 parcels of ­land at Nathan owned by Economic Development Queensland (EDQ).

She said the council refused to pay commercial rates, estimated at $6 million, and moved a motion calling on the State Government to commit to conserving the bushland.

“All we are asking tonight is very simple: conserve it, or give it to us,” she said.

Mother koala and her joey at Toohey Forest.

Cr Adams said Planning Minister Cameron Dick advised the council that EDQ would only sell the land at a commercial rate.

“We are happy to negotiate but we will not be paying full commercial price for land they could very easily hand back to us, which is part of Toohey Forest,” she said.

“It is important to remember this is not their purse of asset sales to manage their floundering budget.”

She said Labor State Member for Miller Mark Bailey, who is also Transport and Main Roads Minister, had assured residents the land would not be sold for development.

Cr Adams said she believed that is what Mr Bailey had been told that by EDQ but she had her doubts.

“They (the parcels of land) are being managed by EDQ and EDQ has one goal: that they make money,” she said.

A lone koala in a tree with the city in the background. Picture: Supplied

Cr Steve Griffiths (Moorooka) has started a petition for the council to purchase the land, which has been signed by 346 residents.

He moved an amendment to Cr Adams’ motion that the council should acquire the land through its bushland acquisition program.

Cr Steve Griffiths said the LNP was playing “party politics” with important koala breeding habitat in his ward.

“This site has a very significant koala population. They’re very healthy. It’s a site where the female koalas seem to go and the males follow them. That’s where they have their joeys,” he said.

“It’s 7km from where they are now and it’s a site we should be preserving.”

A koala at Toohey Forest. Photo: Toohey Forest Wildlife

Cr Griffiths said earlier this year, the council purchased privately owned residential land in Mt Gravatt for $5.2 million.

He urged the council to go to the EDQ and negotiate an outcome that worked for the council, the state and the koalas.

His amendment was voted down.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of Cr Adams’ original motion.