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COOROY residents have accused Premier Anna Bligh of hypocrisy over her concern for koalas as the government logs one of Noosa’s richest native fauna habitats.

Clearing has been going on for weeks at Cooroy West State Forest, according to nearby resident Mike Tsilfidis who says the area is a known koala hot spot.

The Jorgensens Road man said he was woken by the roar of chainsaws and falling trees almost every day.

“Just because the Government waves around a code of practice booklet its get-out-of-jail-free card doesn’t make it right,’’ he said.

“The Bligh Government claims it is taking action to protect koalas yet continues to rip up trees and wipe out the habitats of not just koalas, but other protected species, such as the giant barred frog.’’

Mr Tsilfidis has been supported by Gympie MP David Gibson and the Koala Foundation.

“Fair enough, we are talking about state forest here, and that has a commercial aspect to it, but it should still be subject to biodiversity studies and treated accordingly,’’ Mr Gibson said.

He accused Premier Bligh of “gross hypocrisy’’ over her tough talk about protecting the koala. He accused the State Government of “desecrating’’ the forest for profit.

In a joint statement issued on August 5, Ms Bligh and Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Andrew McNamara said the government was confronting “a crisis facing koalas in SEQ’’.

Ms Bligh said new research revealed more radical moves were needed to stop the extinction of koalas in the area.

“It would be a tragedy if future generations were unable to see this much-loved animal in the wild,’’ she said. “I have fond memories from my own childhood of seeing koalas in their natural habitats.’’

Her office refused to comment on claims of hypocrisy this week, but Koala Foundation chief executive officer Deborah Tabart did not hold back.

“Ms Bligh is misleading the people with emotive comments about the koala, but not providing real solutions for their conservation,’’ she said.

“What is happening in Cooroy clearly shows the flaw in the Queensland Government’s overview.’’

Mr Tsilfidis and other concerned residents including local MP Peter Wellington have been invited to see the felling operation for themselves on Sunday. Mr Wellington said the group had visited the area once before, at the start of the operation. “They gave a commitment that they wouldn’t take trees from the buffer zone and we want to check they have kept their word,’’ he said.

Neither the Premier’s office nor the State Government’s company, NRW Forest Products, responded to The Noosa Journal’s request for comment.

Source: http://noosa-journal.whereilive.com.au/news/story/anger-over-koala-hypocrisy/

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