Koalas will go extinct in NSW by 2050 unless the major parties take effective action at the next election, former parliamentary secretary for the Hunter Catherine Cusack says.
"The state election in March is the last chance for our koalas," Ms Cusack said.
"We need convincing new policies that prohibit the destruction of forests and trees that koalas are relying on to survive. We are at the brink.
"The world will be very angry with us if koalas go extinct. We have absolutely run out of second chances."
Ms Cusack said the koala policies that the major parties form ahead of the state election in March will be crucial.
"This is a choice - voters need to understand the looming koala extinction is preventable. That choice will be made by voters next March," she said.
Ms Cusack coordinated the NSW Koala Conference, titled The Vanishing, held at Coffs Harbour on Saturday.
It heard that the next government's policies will decide the fate of koala habitat - and koalas - in NSW.
"The consensus view at the conference was that unless there's a significant improvement in policy, koalas will go extinct," Ms Cusack said.
In 2020, Ms Cusack crossed the floor to vote against the Berejiklian government's koala bill, which was opposed by the Nationals. Then premier Gladys Berejiklian stripped Ms Cusack of her role as a parliamentary secretary and scrapped the bill.
As things stand now, Ms Cusack said there is too much complex bureaucracy to save the koalas in NSW.
She said a simple answer is a "ban on logging trees in which koalas live".
If koalas aren't saved in NSW, she said it will be "a taxpayer-funded extinction event".
She said logging of koala habitat on public and private land is "taxpayer subsidised" and koala habitat was being destroyed for "cringeworthy reasons".
NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann told the conference that two-thirds of koalas live on private land.
"With only around 10 per cent of NSW in a protected areas network, we need environmental law reform to protect habitat on private land," she said.
Ms Faehrmann said there is a "roadmap" to save koalas in NSW. It was established at the 2020 parliamentary inquiry, which found koalas will become extinct in NSW before 2050 without urgent government intervention.
"If we can't save the most loved animal, not only in this country but many would argue the world, I honestly don't believe we can save ourselves," she said.
In the Hunter's koala hotspot, Port Stephens, it's estimated that fewer than 500 koalas remain. Around 20,000 to 30,000 wild koalas are thought to remain in NSW and 43,000 to 100,000 in Australia. The federal government officially listed the koala in February as endangered in NSW, Queensland and the ACT.
Port Stephens MP Kate Washington said the situation for the koala is dire.
"We have to face the reality that koalas in the wild in NSW are facing extinction," Ms Washington said.
"In Port Stephens, our community is doing everything it can to prevent the extinction of our local koala population. But without focused and clear action from government, they could be gone by 2050."
Ms Washington said the Liberal/National government in NSW had "systematically dismantled many environmental protections" over "12 long years".
"The coming election presents an important chance for change. If elected, a Labor government will act as quickly as possible to protect koala habitat."
A spokesperson for NSW Environment Minister James Griffin said the minister released the $193 million NSW Koala Strategy in April, which is the "largest investment by any government in a single species".
"This strategy demonstrates how committed the NSW government is to conservation and achieving our goal of doubling koala numbers by 2050. It's backed by more than 30 actions to conserve and grow koala populations.
"This strategy will better secure 10 climate-resilient koala stronghold locations from the Southern Tablelands to Campbelltown and Lismore, which will receive intensive action in the next five years to support the existing populations. Some of these actions include preventing vehicle-strike and dog attacks, and restoring and protecting 47,000 additional hectares of habitat."
Ms Faehrmann said that the government's goal to double koala numbers by 2050 was "a hollow promise for a headline".
"It's just greenwashing because they're not doing anything to protect koala habitat - it's still being logged and bulldozed every day.
"It's actually heartbreaking because it [the $193 million] should be going towards buying up habitat at risk."
She said the money could be used to create a Great Koala National Park.
She believes the Coalition government will never protect koala habitat, as the Liberals and Nationals are too aligned with developers, coal and gas companies, Forestry Corporation, big agriculture and the conservative media.
She said the Greens need as many candidates elected in both houses to "drag a future Labor government to the side of stronger environmental laws when those powerful vested interests are pulling them the other way".
"The Greens will ensure that a Great Koala National Park is created and that it isn't weakened."
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