Government to list koala as vulnerable

Government to list koala as vulnerableThe Queensland Government recently announced that the koala will be listed as vulnerable across Queensland.Currently, the Queensland Government lists koalas as vulnerable in South East Queensland. By broadening the listing it now aligns with the Commonwealth Government’s classification of the Koala in Queensland. The ministerial statement can be accessed here.The decision was made following a recommendation from the Species Technical Committee to raise the status. The result of the decision means a greater emphasis will be placed on the conservation of existing koala habitats throughout Queensland.Importantly the decision does not trigger any immediate changes to development under the Sustainable Planning Act and does not affect the South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provisions (SPRP). Existing requirements under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act will continue to apply to clearing of koala habitat.