Not happy at all

Dr Airdre Grant’s Veranda Talk column discusses the Portland koala tragedy

TIMELY REMINDER: Dave Wood took this photo of a healthy koala napping in a property on Sawtell Road near the Linden Ave intersection last Thursday near Coffs Harbour. Photo: Dave Wood

Did you see the news about the massacre of koalas in a logging operation in Portland, Victoria recently?

Reports are that 500 koalas were bulldozed along with their trees and left there in a tangled mess with the trees, wounded, dead and dying.

A passer-by filmed the carnage and posted it on line, in tears as she described the scene.

If she hadn’t done that, we would never know and the people /companies responsible would continue to slaughter native animals.

Why?

Because it appears they can.

As long as they don’t get find out.

Social media has spread the video far and wide.

It’s gone global (including the BBC).

People are asking how can this be allowed to happen especially at a time we have just lost over a billion animals to bush fires.

But frankly, how can this inhumane and cruel treatment of the fauna of Australia happen at all.

It goes beyond appalling and unbelievable that anyone is capable of such an act.

More public and international shaming about the way this country treats its environment and its native animals.

It’s this kind of behaviour that drives the most mild-mannered of citizens into an incandescent rage, and become an angry protester.

When our governance systems are so pathetic that any creature along with the koala, can be left wounded and dying in a mess on cleared land, it makes you question your faith in the notion of good government at all.

Social media can be terrible and it can be really, really great.

The fundraising for the bush fires was an excellent example. This is another.

This slaughter would have gone unnoticed if an ordinary Australian woman had not been confronted by wounded koalas on the road.

Driven by distress she told the world.

The fish kill in the Murray Darling was another time when citizens showed the world the mess they are living in as a result of greed and stupidity on an inconceivable level.

It woke everyone up.

It’s crazy to think there is a global initiative to make items to support the native animals of Australia with groups of people all over the world sewing wraps and mittens and other supports for our fire wounded animal population.

It’s been great the way so many have rallied in support.

Back here, this s***t happens.

So yes, I am mad. I am past being upset.

We lose hectares of forest and billions of animals and yet here we are mowing down trees and slaughtering koalas.

Not such a clever country.

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