The International Fund for Animal Welfare joins Friday’s snap rally to urge New South Wales (NSW) politicians to reject the Local Land Services Amendment Bill when it returns to the upper house for debate next week.
Background notes:
• The bill will essentially mean land clearing on koala habitat not already identified in rural areas will not be regulated; the expansion of koala habitat protection on private farmland into the future will be prevented; and Private Native Forestry operations will be exempt from important development consents and have their duration doubled from 15 to 30 years.
• Our iconic koalas are in trouble. A recent Parliamentary Inquiry found that, without immediate action, NSW koalas will become extinct by 2050.
Quotes by IFAW Wildlife Campaigner Josey Sharrad:
• “This piece of draft legislation will remove many hard-won gains made for koalas over the past 25 years. This would be a major step back in environmental protections that will allow increased environmental degradation across NSW.”
• “Koalas are loved around the world. There has been overwhelming support from the global community including France, Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States with over 150,000 emails in support of IFAW’s petition calling for their status to be up-listed from vulnerable to endangered. The global community recognises the significance of our koalas, and it’s bitterly disappointing our government does not. The world is watching us and how we treat our native species.”
• “We must do more to protect this iconic species – or face losing them forever.”
• “Koalas are an ambassador species for other native wildlife as they help people learn about the issues impacting animals and their homes. By protecting koalas and their habitat, the habitat of hundreds of other plants and animals is also protected.”
• “As if our koalas haven’t already been through enough over the past 12 months, the NSW government is now pushing this bill which will further reduce protections for this iconic species and clear more of their land in NSW. It’s inconceivable that it’s being considered. We simply cannot allow more koala habitat to be destroyed. We need the government to listen, kill this bill and take action to save our koalas.”
Photos available HERE (copyright IFAW)
Press contact:
Dominica Mack
Communications Manager, IFAW Oceania
m: 0460 432 901