Federal Member for Wright, Scott Buchholz has welcomed the Morrison Government’s announcement of a $50 million in funding to support Koalas, that will improve the health outcomes of the species, extend long-term monitoring, and restore and preserve critical habitat.
Mr Buchholz said the $50 million package will also provide significant flow on benefits for other native species.
“These new measures are targeted to ensure long-term recovery and resilience of our beloved Koala populations through monitoring, training in treatment and care, and on-ground action to protect critical habitat,” Mr Buchholz said.
“We are working with the local community, with landholders and environment groups on habitat restoration projects that will target significant koala areas.
“We are also investing in programs to train vets and vet nurses to treat koalas after extreme weather events and we are funding research to determine the genetic strength of populations and how unique DNA variants can provide resistance to diseases,” Mr Buchholz said.
Minister Ley said the $50 million package would also provide significant flow on benefits for other native species.
“This new package will take Government spending on koalas to more than $74 million since 2019, bringing together land managers, researchers, veterinarians and citizen scientists to address a full range of support strategies,” Minister Ley said.
“The extra funding will build on work already happening across the koalas’ range to restore and connect important habitat patches, control feral animals and weeds and improve habitat.”
The additional $50 million investment over the next four years includes:
- $20 million for habitat protection projects – grants for large-scale activities run by Natural Resource Management and non-government organisations, industry, and Indigenous groups, as well as state and territory governments.
- $10 million for community-led initiatives – grants for local habitat protection and restoration activities, health and care facilities, and citizen science projects
- $10 million to extend the National Koala Monitoring Program
- $2 million to improve Koala health outcomes applied research activities and practical application to address health challenges such as retrovirus, herpesviruses, and chlamydia
- $1 million for Koala care, treatment and triage expanding and continuing national training for
ENDS
Media contact:
Mr Buchholz – Scott O’Connell 0413 424 384 | Scott.OConnell@aph.gov.au
