Queensland has signalled strong opposition to the national protection of koalas under federal threatened species laws, with Premier Campbell Newman condemning the move as ”mindless green tape”.
Mr Newman has challenged Prime Minister Julia Gillard to ”have a long hard look” at the listing’s implications, warning it will mean job cuts in Queensland’s construction industry.
”It’s more needless duplication, it’s more mindless green tape, it’s more delay and obstruction from Canberra,” Mr Newman said.
Federal environment minister Tony Burke announced yesterday Australia’s most ”at risk” koala population – those in Queensland, NSW and the ACT – will be listed as vulnerable under national environment protection laws.
But koalas in Victoria and South Australia are excluded from the listing.
Mr Burke said populations in these states were ”eating themselves out of suitable foraging habitat” and numbers needed to be managed.
The decision has angered conservation groups, who want all koala populations covered.
