Victoria’s koalas are counting on us

On Wednesday 29 October 2025, Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell will debate Legislative Council Petition #652, calling for an independent inquiry into koala management practices and the blue gum industry’s impact on koala populations.

This is a major step forward for accountability, transparency, and the protection of Victoria’s iconic wildlife.

About Petition #652

The petition, signed by over 10,000 Victorians, draws attention to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and its covert aerial culling of over 1000 koalas in Budj Bim National Park following a fire earlier this year.

DEECA has failed to provide key details on the decision, including:

• Ethics approval for the cull

• The number of joeys affected

• The names and credentials of experts involved

• The extent of vegetation loss in the area

The decision to limit wildlife rescue operations while proceeding with aerial shooting raises serious ethical and transparency concerns. The public was not informed, and aerial culling has never been used in this context.

Budj Bim National Park is surrounded by blue gum plantations that host significant koala populations. When these plantations are harvested, displaced koalas seek refuge in the park where, under current management strategies, they are likely to be culled again.

Why This Matters

For decades, government policy has prioritised the plantation industry’s interests over wildlife protection. This approach contradicts DEECA’s duty to safeguard biodiversity and uphold environmental stewardship.

Culling wildlife because of failed management is ethically indefensible and environmentally unsustainable.

The petition calls for:

• An independent inquiry into DEECA’s aerial culling and koala management practices

• An investigation into the blue gum industry’s impact on koalas

• An immediate halt to further blue gum harvesting in southwest Victoria until accurate, science-based population estimates are established

Watch the Debate Live

This debate is a defining moment for accountability and koala welfare in Victoria.
We encourage koala advocates, wildlife carers, and animal protection supporters to show up and watch history in the making.

📅 Date: Wednesday 29 October 2025
🕔 Time: Watch live from 5:15 PM (debate begins around 5:30 PM)
📍 Where: Victorian Parliament, public gallery attendance open
🎥 Watch online: Victorian Parliament website 

If you cannot attend in person, join our Watch Event on Facebook and connect with other koala advocates across Australia.

Let's hold DEECA and the Government to account and demand an end to the cruel, covert killing of koalas in Victoria.