Nationals MP announces $3,900 grant to help protect Clarence Valley koalas. WARNING: quotes are heavily laden with hypocrisy and political spin

 

IMAGE: The Chronicle

Former surveyor, property developer and one-time consultant to mining corporations, Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis (right), who last year fully supported his party's blackmailing of the senior partner in the NSW Coalition Government, who backed Deputy Premier John Barilaro to the hilt when he managed through political threats and intimidation to destroy the new Koala Protection SEPP and tried to destroy what little legislated protection was left to native forests on Crown and private land by - an ultimately unsuccessful - bill to amend the Local Land Services Act.

This member of the NSW Legislative Assembly who never saw a timbered block of land he didn't want to clear fell and who was rightly labelled 'Koala Killer' during the Northern Rivers fightback against the threat to koala habitat he, his party and their political donors represent, now has the hide to wave a pitifully small amount of money in front of the electorate's eyes in an attempt to paint himself as very concerned for the fate of Clarence Valley koalas.

It's enough to make one nauseous.

Clarence Valley Independent, 13 January 2021:

Clarence Valley Council has secured a $3900 grant from the NSW Government to help protect local koalas from dog attacks, Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis has announced.

“This is part of a comprehensive Government strategy to boost the local population with the help and support of local landholders who are ultimately the koalas’ best friends,’ Mr Gulaptis said.

“Preventing these injuries to koalas and other native wildlife will help the recovery of koalas and other native wildlife following the devastating 2019-20 summer bushfires.

“The smallest mouthing or bite by a dog can cause serious injury or death, and the situation is always very distressing for koalas, carers and dog owners alike,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“This funding will ensure dog owners are aware of the risk of injury their dogs can cause to koalas and other native wildlife, and prevent these injuries from happening in the first place.”......