Koala concern forces delay to Coomera Connector
Major construction works on the Coomera Connector face being delayed due to a last-ditch appeal to the Federal Government about the impact on koalas. FULL DETAILS
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THE state government faces having to delay the start of major construction works on the Coomera Connector due to a last-ditch appeal to the Federal Government about the impact on koalas.
The federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has invited public comments on a submission to reconsider a previous decision to allow stage one of the road to progress as a “controlled action”.
The February 10 submission, which was addressed to federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and highlights the plight of local koalas, contends that the cumulative environmental impact of the whole project should be assessed before stage one is allowed to proceed.
“It is clear from the information presented that Stage 1 of the Coomera Connector is a component of a larger action, that being a 45km motorway between the Logan Motorway and Nerang-Broadbeach Rd,” the submission states.
“In my view, the separate consideration of Stage 1 and Stage 2 as separate projects is exposing threatened species and listed migratory species to unacceptable impacts. This was the mischief that section 74A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act was designed to prevent.”
The submission, in calling for the “urgent reconsideration” of the decision made in August 2020, also contends that there has been “substantial change in circumstances” in the time since, including confirmation of the route for stage two and the release of a National Recovery Plan for koalas.
Karina Waterman of Coomera Conservation Group said assessment of the Coomera Connector’s environmental impact should be “as thorough as possible” due to the presence of two “nationally significant” koala populations along the route.
“We’re talking about a motorway through more than one important koala area, I find that staggering that this is not of national significance,” Ms Waterman said.
“The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP is talking about taking a new look at cumulative impacts of development in southeast Queensland. Well let’s start here where an endangered species is directly under threat.”
Sources told the Bulletin that it was unclear how long the Federal Government process would delay the start of construction works on the Coomera Connector, although it was hoped any hold-up would not be significant.
However Ms Pilbersek, since being appointed Environment Minister following the Federal Election in May 2022, has repeatedly stressed the need to protect koalas.
“We actually have to turn the Titanic around and get it on to another course,” Ms Plibersek told Nine Newspapers last month.
“If you want your kids and grandkids to be able to see koalas in the wild, we have to change what we’re doing.”
A spokesperson for Ms Pilbersek’s department told the Bulletin “no decision” had yet been made about the substance of the reconsideration request.
“The reconsideration request for Coomera Connector has met the procedural requirements under national environmental law. No decision has been made about the substance of the request,” the spokesperson said.
“A ten business day public comment period has started.
“Following the public comment period, the department will consider information provided in the request.
“A final decision will not be made until the reconsideration request has been considered.”
At a press conference on Thursday, state Transport Minister Mark Bailey said koala protection had been “at the forefront” of the Palaszczuk government’s approach and it was “absolutely ready to go” with construction.
“There is a final Federal approval process through the environmental biodiversity protection act to play out yet, so the Federal Government will need to do that appropriately and thoroughly and I have confidence that they will do that,” Mr Bailey said.
“What I do know is that in our planning for this project, environmental protection has been at the forefront of our approach, particularly the issue of koalas and koala protection. We have been working with a range of different koala groups.
“We know in this area that there are some very fragmented and at risk koala populations that are very likely not to be sustainable.
“That is why we have bought more than 800 hectares of koala habitat at two different locations so that, in terms of koala preservation, we want them to survive and thrive, and that is a substantial commitment.”
The Federal Government is accepting public comments on the matter until Friday March 10.
Originally published as Koala concern forces delay to Coomera Connector
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