A budget “boost” to help koala conservation efforts in NSW, including Port Stephens, has been called a “dressed up re-announcement”.
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The government announced in Tuesday’s budget that koala conservation projects across the state would receive “another $800,000”.
However, Port Stephens Koalas president Carmel Northwood said this was not new money, but part of the government’s $100 million Saving our Species program announced in 2015.
“It’s nice to see they haven’t forgotten about us, but this is not new money,” Ms Northwood said.
“This money was already set aside through the Saving Our Species funding.
“We haven’t been given anything new.”
Saving Our Species money, allocated for five years up to 2021, is to be spent on projects that saves threatened animals and plants from extinction.
The $800,000 announced in Tuesday’s budget by NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet is drawn from the Saving Our Species pool.
The cash allocated in the most recent budget will fund conservation projects for 2017-2018.
Mr Perrottet said that some of the projects to be funded under the 2017-18 budget, none of which have been announced, will aim to address key threats to koalas in the Port Stephens, Campbelltown and Mid-Coast areas.
The budget money would also be used to support carers who rehabilitate injured koalas – the core function of Port Stephens Koalas.
“Any threatened Australian species is a serious issue and we want to invest in the important conservation work to help stabilise and eventually increase koala numbers across the state,” Mr Perrottet said.
Port Stephens MP Kate Washington, who has been vocal about the plight of the local government area’s koalas, said the budget fell short of offering real support to conservation efforts.
“Koala carers need real support, not a dressed up re-announcement,” she said.
“This is a government that sells off koala habitat to developers one day then wants praise for helping koalas the next.
“This announcement gives less than 1 per cent of the Saving Our Species fund to koalas across NSW.”
The NSW Government announced in May that it would contribute $124,000 of the $3 million required to build a koala hospital in Port Stephens.
The NSW Government is working on a Koala Strategy for the state.
The strategy is being developed in response to the state’s Chief Scientist and Engineer’s 2016 report on the decline of koala populations in key areas of NSW.
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
