Tuesday 6 December 2016

Labor Promises to Save our Koalas

BY TYLER FARDELL

Opposition Leader Luke Foley says the dwindling Koala population on the State's North coast would be protected in newly created national parks to help stop the very real prospect of the species becoming extinct in NSW.

Koala numbers in NSW represent just ten percent of the nation's Koalas, with that figure dropping lower each year.

Our beloved Koala is internationally recognisable and generates more than 2 billion dollars in tourism each year.

The opposition's plan would see Eucalyptus forests that are home to significant Koala populations, assessed for priority additions.

In addition to protecting the remaining Koala population, the proposed national parks would become major tourism hubs and attract thousands of tourists both national and international.

Luke Foley has called on the government to adopt this policy to save the national icon.

"We face the real prospect of Koalas becoming extinct in the wild in our state within the next couple of years".

"My challenge to Mr Baird is to adopt Labor's policy to save the Koalas."