The NSW Nationals have today publicly announced their opposition to the Minns Labor Government's Great Koala National Park, an election commitment to help save koalas from extinction.
Deputy Leader of the NSW Nationals and Member for Coffs Harbour, Gurmesh Singh, held a press conference with National Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson and Member for Oxley Michael Kemp today, where they were asked whether they supported the Great Koala National Park,
JOURNALIST: For the three of you, obviously just a really simple yes or no question, do you support the Great Koala National Park?
GURMESH SINGH: No.
MICHAEL KEMP: No.
RICHIE WILLIAMSON: No.
Today's comments are just latest in the National's damning record when it comes to Koalas, which saw the beloved native animal, or as former National Party Leader John Barilaro called them 'tree rats', on track to be extinct in the wild by 2050.
In the wake of these comments from the leadership of the NSW National Party, NSW Labor Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe is calling on the Liberal Party to publicly state if they agree with their Coalition partners and will be taking a commitment to end this project to the next election.
In 2019 and 2020, National Party members threatened to leave the Party room and end the Coalition Agreement over efforts to rehabilitate the koala population.
NSW Liberal Party Leader, Mark Speakman must today come clean with the public and answer:
Do the NSW Liberal Party support the Great Koala National Park?
Does he condemn the National Party Deputy Leader's position?
Have the Koala wars been reignited?
The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to deliver on their election commitment to establish the Great Koala National Park, with approximately 12,000 koalas living in the area under assessment for inclusion in this essential project.
Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe, said:
"While I'm not surprised, I am immensely disappointed. If we do not take this urgent action, there is a very real possibility that our grandchildren will never get the chance to see koalas in the wild.
"Mark Speakman urgently needs to come clean with the communities of New South Wales if the future of Koala's will be on the line at the next election - or have the koala wars been reignited?"
