Tom Tate to greenies: ‘Show us the money’

“I don’t want to label them hypocrites — I’ll leave it to others to judge.” Mayor Tom Tate has lashed out at greenies on the Gold Coast, saying they should be donating to council’s fund buying up land for koalas.

Dreamworld’s koala breeding program — the good work is being done just near where habitat is being lost due to residential development. Photo by Richard Gosling

MAYOR Tom Tate is challenging environmentalists to “show us the money” as the Gold Coast City Council gives the green light to buying up koala habitat.

Consultants warned a year ago that the city’s most significant koala population east of the Pacific Motorway would be lost unless authorities agreed to buy up land and relocate the threatened animals.

At a planning committee meeting yesterday, councillors recommended officers approach the “highest priority” properties as part of a buy-up of land identified at Coomera.

PARKWOOD AND COOMBABAH COAST’S NEWEST KOALA HABITATS

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has called on greenies to pitch in and fund a koala habitat buy-back plan. Picture: Jerad Williams.

Despite seeking help from the State Government, the council will “go it alone” at the start of a decade-long buy back.

“Many groups are vocal about their love for this iconic species but that is not translating into action,” Cr Tate said. “In the case of the city, we are rolling our sleeves up and getting on with it.

“This financial year, we became the first council in Australia to create a fund specific to a species. It is known as the Koala Fund.

“Annually, it collects $3 from every rateable property in the city, set aside for future koala habitat purchase. In its first year, we have secured around $800,000 from that process.”

DEVASTATING REMINDER TO WATCH OUT FOR KOALAS

Gold Coast City Council planning chair Cameron Caldwell hopes the State Government will back council’s plan.

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Cr Tate said the fund enabled voluntary contributions to be made but those amounted to only $6600 from 100 backers.

“My plea to the environmental and green groups is show us the money. I would have thought that the groups claiming they are so passionate about koala preservation would have been fundraising behind the scenes, and donating to the cause.

“The fund is specific to purchasing koala habitat so this is their opportunity to shine.

I don’t want to label them hypocrites — I’ll leave it to others to judge.

“In the meantime, we will work towards the strategic purchase of koala habitat in our city, utilising these funds and council reserves.’’

KOALA DROWNS IN GOLD COAST POOL

Development at Coomera. Photo: Nearmap

Council planning chairman Cameron Caldwell said the council had finished a body of work which had narrowed the scope to multiple land holdings in the Coomera area.

While the State Government was sounded out about support, he admitted the council could go it alone with the buy-up.

“We would like to think that our acquisition is worthy of State support, and we welcome any contribution that the State would make,” he said. “But we will be embarking on the process in a stand-alone way as a council.”

The properties targeted are in a confidential report along with responses from two State Government ministers.

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Helensvale-based councillor William Owen-Jones asked officers to approach the State about releasing the letters.

“I think it’s been identified the city, in order to have a habitat that maintains the current population in the Coomera area, needs to somehow secure 1500 or so hectares of land,” he said.

“In my view that will only ever be secured if it’s collaborative in nature with the State of Queensland.

“And if the State of Queensland chooses to not release correspondence between their ministers and the mayor, I think that’s pretty indicative of how difficult that challenge is going to be over the next 10 years.”