Member for Port Macquarie, Robert Dwyer MP has reaffirmed his support for the Great Koala National Park legislation while calling on the NSW Government to provide greater certainty, investment and long-term planning for workers, families and businesses affected by the transition.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Dwyer said protecting koalas and their habitat was the right thing to do, but warned that regional communities should not be left carrying the cost of poor planning and inadequate consultation.
“I represent the region often described as the "koala capital of the world". We have the Guulabaa breeding station, which is the only place in Australia where koalas are bred and then returned back into the wild. We also have a fantastic koala hospital, which will officially open on 12 November and cost the State Government $10.7 million.
“The Liberal Nationals Government in its last term added 600,000 hectares of national park.
"The koala is an iconic part of the Mid North Coast and a key part of our natural heritage," Mr Dwyer said.
"As the Member for Port Macquarie, I support measures that protect koalas and improve the long-term survival of the species. But we must also ensure regional communities are treated fairly and given confidence about their future."
Mr Dwyer acknowledged the significant environmental benefits the Great Koala National Park could deliver but said the Government's approach had created uncertainty for forestry workers, timber manufacturers and local businesses across the North Coast.
“Whilst years in the planning, it took one month for the Government to realise the $80 million election commitment would need to be increased by 75 per cent to $140 million. That is poor planning.
"Good government should be capable of delivering strong environmental outcomes while also protecting jobs, supporting regional industries and providing certainty to communities," he said.
"The concern is not about protecting koalas or the great gliders, or the hundred other threatened species. The concern is about how the transition has been managed."
Mr Dwyer highlighted the impact on businesses including Pentarch Forestry and long-
established manufacturers such as Gibson & Sons, warning that hundreds of regional jobs and flow-on economic benefits were now at risk.
"These are not just statistics. They are local families, apprentices, skilled workers and small business owners who have built their lives around industries that have supported our region for generations," he said.
Mr Dwyer said the Government must provide clear answers about how the National Park will be managed into the future, including bushfire mitigation, maintenance of fire trails, feral animal control, tourism infrastructure and long-term support for affected workers and businesses.
He also renewed calls for a North Coast Timber Manufacturing Revival Plan, focused on creating new economic opportunities and supporting regional manufacturing.
"Rather than simply managing decline, we should be investing in the future of regional industry," Mr Dwyer said.
"Projects such as expanded timber processing, plantation-based manufacturing, bioenergy production and prefabricated housing have the potential to create jobs, strengthen local manufacturing and support housing supply."
Mr Dwyer also raised concerns about the potential increase in imported timber products if domestic production is reduced without a clear replacement strategy.
"We need to ensure we are not simply exporting jobs and environmental impacts overseas while weakening regional economies here at home," he said.
Mr Dwyer said the ultimate success of the Great Koala National Park would be measured not only by its environmental outcomes but by how regional communities were supported throughout the transition.
"We can protect koalas and protect jobs," Mr Dwyer said.
"With proper planning, genuine consultation and adequate investment, we can achieve strong environmental outcomes while ensuring regional communities continue to prosper."
Media Contact: Terry Sara 6584 0977 or 0409 834 648
