Chris Gulaptis, the MP for Clarence, said he would move to the crossbench if the government doesn’t review the Koala Habitat Protection State Environmental Planning Policy, which came into effect in March this year. Gulaptis said in a statement on Wednesday the policy was ill-founded, harmed regional communities and “essentially determines every part of NSW is koala habitat”. He said he wanted a review of the Koala Habitat Protection SEPP which struck a better balance between conservation and commerce, or he would move to the crossbench. A NSW parliamentary inquiry found in July that koalas would lose their habitat and become extinct in NSW before 2050 unless the government urgently intervened. Gulaptis’ remarks come as NSW koala experts implore federal environment minister Sussan Ley to block the expansion of the Brandy Hill Quarry at Port Stephens, which would destroy 52 hectares of prime koala habitat and sever a koala corridor.

Source: The Guardian September 03, 2020 03:11 UTC