BLIGH GOVT TAKES DRASTIC ACTION TO PROTECT SEQ KOALAS

The Bligh Government will introduce a raft of measures to protect the South-East Queensland koala population to head off a crisis threatening the iconic species, including new powers to acquire land for future habitat.

Sustainability and Climate Change Minister, Andrew McNamara, said the radical action was part of the Government's response to recommendations of the specialised taskforce Premier Bligh established in August to develop solutions to the koala crisis.

"The Koala Plan as it stands is clearly not working. This is the line in the sand," Mr McNamara said.

“When the Premier saw the statistics on the dramatically declining koala population in South-East Queensland – caused primarily by loss of habitat, cars and dogs – she established a task force to advise the government how to stop it.

Mr McNamara said based on the Taskforces’ recommendations the Government will:

·Expand koala habitat by 2020;

·Invest $2 million in extensive mapping of koala habitat in SEQ, to be complete by mid-2009;

·Put in place temporary planning policy to protect habitat, with a permanent koala policy to be included in the SEQ Regional Plan by mid-2009;

·Put a freeze on the disposal of state land until mapping is complete;

·Develop a proposed habitat acquisition and rehabilitation strategy based on the mapping, including new acquisition powers for land outside the urban footprint for koala habitat;

·Require all new main roads and upgrades in koala-mapped habitats to be koala-friendly (eg include safe crossing points and fencing) and $10 million to pilot a retrofitting program for existing road hotspots;

·Assist councils across SEQ to introduce regulations to deal with dogs in koala habitat area;

·Require offsets for approved developments in koala-mapped areas; and

·Run a community education campaign on living with koalas.

“The Government made a commitment to do better in protecting the SEQ koala population.

“These measures may not be popular with everyone, but unless we tackle the tough issue we will be without the beautiful marsupials in our backyard,” Mr McNamara said.

Mr McNamara said during the six months it would take for initial habitat mapping in SEQ, new interim laws would allow the State Government to protect trees in habitat already mapped.

“We already have tight koala planning controls but now we are announcing measures that will deliver an increase in mature and regenerating koala trees by 2020.

“We will immediately freeze the disposal and clearing of State owned land in SEQ not needed for urgent community infrastructure, until an assessment is made of koala habitat values on each site.

“We will develop a standard koala law for councils across South East Queensland to adopt to introduce consistent provisions to regulate dogs in koala habitat area, for example, new dog-free developments, keeping dogs in kennels, inside the house or constrained on a short lead after dusk, and for the protection of individual habitat trees.

“New main roads and upgrades through habitat areas will be required to include koala friendly designs most commonly achieved through provision of safe crossing points and fencing alongside roads to channel koalas to these points.

The Department of Main Roads will also commit $10 million to a pilot retrofitting program for existing road hotspots in consultation with the EPA.

“Mapping will begin in January in all areas of SEQ that currently or can in the future support koalas. This will include bushland, cleared areas and urban areas.

“The mapping will be incorporated into the final SEQ Regional Plan and we will commit to adding to potential habitat areas over the next ten years.

“Habitat loss has undoubted flow-on effect like car strikes, dog attacks and disease brought on by stress, but we will go right to the core of the problem.

“We are going to keep one step ahead of development.

“That does not mean there will never be any trees cut down. But for all habitat lost through new development, there will be more habitat secured elsewhere.

“Inside the urban footprint we’ll have greater powers to condition development, tighter controls on how the State deals with land disposal and new measures to protect existing vegetation through a State Planning Regulatory Policy, or SPRP.

This will be an interim measure that allows the State to review new development applications and either require retention of habitat trees or provision of an offset.

Within 12 months it will be replaced by a State Planning Policy (SPP), which will be publicly consulted on during the second half of 2009. It will include assessment codes and comprehensive requirements in areas where koalas are identified through the mapping process.

“We will also enact powers that give the State Government the right to compulsorily acquire land outside the urban footprint that may be suitable for future rehabilitation as koala habitat.

“This means we can take land that may already be cleared and restore it to provide expanded koala habitat away from houses, cars and pets but still in SEQ.

“This is green infrastructure that we are talking about here, and is just as important to the animals we share this land with as roads and powerlines are to humans.”

Media inquiries: Wendy Nye 3336-8004