Expanded expert panel working to protect koalas in Queensland

The Palaszczuk Government has expanded an expert panel set-up to explore ways to better protect koalas in the wake of a recent report confirming populations continue to decline in South-East Queensland.

Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles announced in July the panel would be chaired by Associate Professor Jonathan Rhodes from the University of Queensland, and include Dr Alistair Melzer from the Central Queensland University’s Koala Research Centre and Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation’s director Mr Al Mucci.

Ms Antra Hood from Minter Ellison recently joined the panel to ensure it featured a representative with planning expertise.

“This will be an important component of the work, as part of the panel’s job will be to provide recommendations on existing regulatory options and development instruments,” Dr Miles said.

“In particular, this will link into the planning framework and South-East Queensland Regional Plan reviews that are currently underway,” he said.

Dr Miles said the panel was working with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to provide recommendations on “the most appropriate and realistic actions to address the decline of the state’s koala population’.

“They will advise us on various immediate actions to allow us to continue gathering important data through surveying and modelling, and other conservation measures – without pre-empting future changes in direction,” he said.

“While the panel has an excellent breath of experience, we recognise there is a wealth of knowledge in the community and we need to capture that knowledge and ensure a balance of perspectives is considered”.

An interim report from the panel is expected by the end of the year, and a final report in 2017.

“Consultation will commence in the next couple of weeks and the public will be able to provide input through the ‘Get Involved’ website,” he said.

“It is clear from the science that we cannot just assume the koala protection strategies put in place over the past two decades are going to stop populations of this iconic species continuing to decline.

“Koalas are threatened by a number of factors in addition to habitat loss, including disease, car strike and dog attack.

“These are the driving reasons we ensured there was increased funding in the budget to enhance our koala conservation initiatives.

“There’s now an additional $12 million to boost koala conservation measures and improve population surveys over the next four years, and a further $2.6 million per annum for ongoing funding for koala protection,” Dr Miles said.

ENDS

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