The National Recovery Plan for the Koala identifies national-level strategic actions to save the nationally threatened Koala. It aligns with state and territory planning, programs and strategies to ensure we are all working together to save the Koala. 

The combined populations of Koalas in QLD, NSW & ACT are listed as threatened under national environment law––the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Koala populations of Victoria and South Australia are not listed as threatened under the EPBC Act and therefore are not covered by this recovery plan.

The Animal Justice Party contributed a 29-page submission to this consultation and provided 51 recommendations.

Koalas have intrinsic worth and a right to a home with essential resources (i.e. habitat).

We must employ big picture thinking to protect koalas and their habitat. Additionally, we need to appreciate the role of koalas in the ecosystem, reduce impacts of human activities on ecosystems and biodiversity, and support coexistence of humans with koalas. 

The main broad strategies that are required are:

1. Protect the koala and their habitat from human activities
2. Manage koala habitat
3. Ensure the National Recovery Plan is truly national, covering both listed and unlisted populations.

Often the plight of vulnerable species, such as the koala, is due to failure of government departments to implement measures and recommendations that are already in the public domain. In the case of the koala, there are detailed documents that outline threats, describe mitigation measures and make various recommendations to protect koalas and their habitat. These documents should be used with the National Koala Recovery Plan and implemented with urgency.

You can download and read our full submission below, and click through to the findings of the consultation.