The extinction of koalas looms in Queensland and New South Wales, their heartland. The Australian government is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to persuade overseas tourists to visit this country and enjoy the “wonderful” record of government concern and protection of koalas. Unfortunately, this is not true.
Massive immigration has flooded into Australia, and the resulting urbanization has wiped out the species’ coastal habitat. No legislation in Queensland, New South Wales (NSW), or at the federal level protects their habitat. As your story, “Koalas in Our Midst” accurately points out, disease is rampant in the remaining wild populations, a direct result of stress and impacts on the immune system. They also suffer appalling injuries and a prolonged death when habitats are clear-felled by heavy industrial machinery.
Access to the courts is virtually impossible with no provisions for public interest in state legislation. The failure to protect the koala is a national scandal.