THE NSW Labor Party’s plan to create a 315,000-hectare Great Koala National Park from Kempsey to Coffs Harbour could be the “death-nail” for the local timber industry according to Australian Solar Timbers operations manager Matthew Hughes.
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Labor’s plan is to turn current National Parks and a number of State Parks into a Great Koala National Park including Old Station, Tamban and Collombatti State Forests northwest of Kempsey.
“If the Labor Party succeeds in their plan for a Great Koala National Park, Australian Solar Timbers won’t exist and we’ll lose up to 40 jobs in the Kempsey community,” Mr Hughes told The Macleay Argus.
Mr Heghes said Australian Solar Timbers access their timber from north of Newcastle to south of Grafton and Labor’s proposal is designed to break the Forestry Corporation of NSW up the middle.
“This is not about koalas which are protected and managed within the industry,” Mr Hughes said.
“It’s a traditional pre-election National Park announcement that comes out of the Labor Party, however, it’s really about appeasing the Greens and the target here is not to help koalas, it’s to destroy the timber industry and the Forestry Corporation of NSW.”
Nationals Candidate for Oxley Melinda Pavey said every Australian wants to ensure that koalas are protected and encouraged to breed but unfortunately Labor’s un-costed announcement will do nothing to achieve that.
“This is typical Labor,” Ms Pavey said.
“Lock up land and throw money at a problem, rather than developing policy which actually addresses the underlying issues.
“Wildfire, chlamydia and wild dogs pose a larger threat to koalas – we need sensible discussion about how to address those issues, not half-baked thought bubbles to lock up yet more land and throw away the key.
Labor candidate for Oxley Fran Armitage said the positive to the plan is the Mid-North Coast will get jobs in hospitality through visitors and overseas tourism.
“We can build a wonderful sanctuary that people from all around the world will come and visit which will create jobs,” Ms Armitage said.
This week, Greens candidate for Oxley Carol Vernon told The Macleay Argus she will be delighted if the park comes into being, but as usual there is cause to be suspicious of Labor’s environmental promises.
“Pre-election promises by Labor to establish the Great Koala National Park cannot be trusted,” Ms Vernon said
“When Foley states he will ‘work with the forestry industry’ he means he will listen to industry lobbyists opposing a koala park.
“We must protect our tourist industry and environmental heritage for our future. NSW must not repeat its mistakes or copy the destructive Labor and LNP governments in Queensland.”
