Plans to help Gold Coast’s dwindling koala population at risk after changes to preservation levy

THE future of koalas on the Gold Coast could be at further risk following changes to the ratepayer-funded Open Spaces Preservation Levy (OSPL).

Lois Levy of the Gecko environment group.

THE future of koalas on the Gold Coast could be at further risk following changes to the ratepayer-funded Open Spaces Preservation Levy (OSPL).

This is the warning from Lois Levy, of the Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council (GECKO), while Division 5 councillor Peter Young has expressed his alarm at the city’s ‘stunningly bad’ koala statistics.

“Our main problem with the OSPL is that it has had the word ‘acquisition’ removed from its purpose and this also applies to koala habitat,” Ms Levy said.

“So, even if there is good koala habitat on private land, which the landowner may be willing to sell to add to other habitat or to create an essential, connective corridor, (council) money cannot be spent on this.”

She said most residents were unaware that Gold Coast City Council had not used the OSPL to acquire any good quality conservation land since 2012.

“This has occurred in spite of our population growth and the need to protect our wildlife and native plants,” she said.

“In addition, the new Our Natural City policy, which has replaced the Nature Conservation Strategy, is based on human use of conservation areas.”

She said this included often inappropriate, high-impact activities such as mountain biking and horse riding.

“Our other concern is that most of the costs, and certainly the salaries of officers involved in the koala plan, will now be drawn from the OSPL,” she said.

“These should be part of a normal council budget as is true of other council programs not involving the environment.”

Cr Young said he was extremely concerned about the city’s dwindling koala population.

He said the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation did a tremendous job in caring for injured and diseased wildlife across the city.

“Total admissions over the past 10 years have grown from 3,147 to 9,615 patients per year, but more frightening are the koala statistics, which have risen from 27 koalas in 2007 to 418 koalas in 2016,” Cr Young said.

“This is stunningly bad for a city that has a koala as a mascot for its Commonwealth Games.”

“And things are getting worse — admissions this year are already up more than 10 per cent compared to the same time last year. Pretty soon, there will be nothing left to kill.”

Cr Young said he preferred a strategy of prevention, instead of cure.

“I will keep pursuing this objective within council but as we continue to impact habitat areas, the carnage escalates,” he warned.