THERE is no doubt that the plight of the koala has captured the attention of the world and those fighting to save the species are now asking ‘Could the tide be changing, at last? Can the koala survive?

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley announced last Friday that the conservation listing for koalas in NSW, ACT and QLD has been upgraded from Vulnerable to Endangered.

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“Together we can ensure a healthy future for the koala and this decision, along with the total we have committed to koalas since 2019, will play a key role in that process,” Ms Ley said.

This comes after the announcement of a $50 million investment by the Federal Government to restore koala habitat.

Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said, “I welcome the Federal Environment Minister’s decision to upgrade the status of koalas from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’, but it is disgraceful it has taken so long, and it is disgraceful that it was necessary at all.

“This is our national icon!

“The Minister received advice to list the koala as ‘endangered’ from her Threatened Species Scientific Committee in October 2021.

Ms Swanson wants to know why it has taken the Minister so long to act on the advice.

“Habitat loss is the biggest risk to the koala, and yet this Government continues to allow thousands of hectares to be cleared for projects such as Brandy Hill Quarry. “

Ms Swanson also questioned why Ms Ley has not replaced the Koala Conservation and Management Strategy that ended in 2014 and where the Threatened Species Recovery Plan for the koala that was due in 2015 is.

Koala Koalition, a Special Interest Group within EcoNetwork Port Stephens, wants the community to understand why the extra funding and endangered status is needed.

Carmel Northwood of Koala Koalition told News Of The Area, “Habitat clearance for extractive industries, development and infrastructure has consistently been approved even when the footprints have included koala habitat.

“Habitat clearance is not only an issue for wildlife.

“Factor in the relentless noise, dust and heavy truck traffic from quarries, and the decreasing value of neighbouring properties, and it is clear the local communities pay a heavy price.

“A couple of years ago rocks won out over the koalas at Brandy Hill.

“Minister Ley approved Hanson to extend their quarry there after concerned residents came out in force to campaign against the mine and got the matter referred for a Federal decision.”

Development applications for quarries continue to be submitted within the Port Stephens and Mid Coast LGA’s.

There are also eight sand mines approved within Port Stephens.

“Where is the strategic planning that should organise where these developments, mines and quarries are built, and consider the cumulative impacts on the local populations of people and wildlife?” Carmel asks.

While strategic planning may still be thin on the ground, a recent decision by the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel gives hope that the cumulative impact of development and habitat clearance is being taken seriously.

Concept development plans for an extensive housing development within the Kings Hill Urban Release Area (KHURA), north of Raymond Terrace, were refused due to 17 areas of concern with koalas being a major concern.

The Panel’s decision followed a concurrence refusal by the Director of Hunter Central Coast Biodiversity, Conservation and Science, delegate for the NSW Secretary of Environment, Energy and Science (EES), who cited seven ecological reasons.

Local concerned groups, including Koala Koalition, have submitted multiple objections to the proposed development since 2018.

Being the largest single area earmarked for development in the KHURA, the proposal included plans to build 3500 houses and correlating infrastructure.

These plans were at the cost of existing koala habitat with actively breeding koala populations resident there.

Lower quality habitat in adjoining areas more difficult to develop was to be enriched.

Koalas would then be encouraged to move as a result of phased habitat clearance.

The panel decided this approach was ‘experimental’ and if unsuccessful could cause another local extinction of one of the last remaining koala breeding ‘hubs’ in Port Stephens.

The Kings Hill developers are already appealing the decision to the Land and Environment Court, but for the moment koalas living in this particular proposed development footprint are safe.

The KHURA, however, covers a large area consisting of fourteen different addresses which any future approval should take into account.

Many will wonder just how will the Endangered listing save koalas?

“It may lower the threshold for referrals to the Federal government for a final decision, but with Sussan Ley’s past record of approving applications to clear known koala habitat this may have little benefit,” Carmel said.

A draft National Recovery Plan was prepared some time ago, but it hasn’t been adopted, and it won’t have any ‘teeth’ without legislative change.

The NSW State Government is policy bound to adopt the Federal decision on the listing, but will also need legislative backing for any realistic change to occur.

“Port Stephens Council is bound to their Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management (CKPoM), written over 20 years ago, with accompanying outdated mapping, because of delays with changing the Koala SEPP 44 – remember the Nationals almost splitting the coalition over the introduction of a revised SEPP last year?

“I feel there has been a huge community shift of sentiment towards koalas in the last ten years.

“More people appreciate our wonderful environment and understand our own health and survival depends on biodiversity. International objections to plans that include habitat clearance, have shown decision makers that the survival of koalas is a worldwide concern,” she said.

By Marian SAMPSON