NSW Labor promises to create the Great Koala National Park if it wins government!
Labor’s recent announcement promising to create “an iconic Great Koala National Park” and commit $80 million to kick start the process if it is elected on March 25, has got the Campaign Team very excited!
We met with Shadow Environment Minister Penny Sharpe the day after the announcement to talk about the news. Labor does not promise to protect the entire area we have proposed however, it does commit to a thorough scientific assessment of all 175,000ha of it and will consider it all for inclusion. Labor also intends to undertake an independent economic assessment of the Park’s impact on local jobs and communities.
Penny Sharpe has given us an assurance that there will be an open and transparent planning process and that NPA and key community groups will have seats at the planning table.
Unfortunately, she would not commit to a moratorium on logging within the proposed GKNP while the planning is underway. We are disappointed but not surprised by this refusal and will continue to lobby hard for a moratorium which we see as a vital step to save critical koala habitat from destruction.
There are over 4,000ha of native forest either being logged or approved for logging within the prosed GKNP right now! Forest conservationist have never seen this rate of industrial scale clear fell logging before. It is disgraceful that this is allowed to continue in koala habitat while the species is on the brink of extinction.
If you are a resident of NSW and haven’t yet signed our online petition please do so now.