Labor promises koala national park and hospital

Campbelltown will get Sydney’s first koala national park under a NSW Labor government.

Labor leader Luke Foley with Featherdale Wildlife Park director of life sciences Chad Staples (holding koala) and local Labor politicians and candidates announcing a koala national park for the Macarthur region.

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Campbelltown will get Sydney’s first koala national park under a NSW Labor government.

Opposition Leader Luke Foley announced the election promise at Smiths Creek Reserve on Sunday.

The commitment would see 4000ha from Glenfield to Appin — along the Georges River on land owned by the State Government and Campbelltown Council — set aside for the national park.

Labor also promised it would establish a $3 million koala care centre in the region to provide care for injured wildlife.

The proposed national park. Source: NSW Labor

Mr Foley said a koala national park would help save the only disease-free koala colony in Sydney.

“There’s nowhere else in Sydney that you can look up and see a koala in a gum tree. We should be doing everything in our power to help them prosper,” Mr Foley said. “Chinese panda reserves attract tourists from around the world. Despite being as internationally recognised as the panda, no koala reserves have been established here.”

Campbelltown state Labor MP Greg Warren said the preservation and conservation of koala habitat in the region was important in the wake of increasing urban growth.

“This ensures the preservation and protection of our wildlife and our green spaces in the face of urban growth,” Mr Warren said.

“It’s an iron-clad commitment to environmental protection and habitat.”

Macquarie Fields state Labor MP Anoulack Chanthivong said many comments from his recent Stop the Squeeze survey included concerns for native wildlife, with specific mention of koalas.

“The Liberal Government’s overdevelopment agenda means koalas are increasingly being spotted in urban environments – clinging to fences to avoid domestic pets or tragically laying on the side of the road after being hit by a car,” he said.

“Labor’s plan will give the koalas of southwest Sydney the trees and protection they need as well as helping to keep them safe into the future.”