The Minns Labor Government came to power on 23 March 2023 for an initial four year term.
It was elected by the people of New South Wales on an election platform that included the creation of the Great Koala National Park. Indeed this was the third time Labor had taken the Great Koala National Park proposal to an election.
However, despite a recognised koala extinction crisis being underway, no sooner was the Minns state ministry sworn in than this assurance was put on the back burner.
State-owned Forestry NSW was allowed to continue at an increased pace to log native forests within the proposed boundaries of the Great Koala National Park to the detriment of biodiversity and endangered, vulnerable & protected native wildlife.
Now having passed the halfway point of its four year-term in government and facing another election in March 2027, the Minns Government appears to have suddenly realised that it would be politically unwise not to formally announce that at an unspecified date in the future it will legislate the creation of the Great Koala National Park - with qualifications and caveats attached to this announcement set out below in its media release.
MINNS SHARPE MORIARTY SAFFIN - MEDIA RELEASE - THE GREAT KOALA NATIONAL PARK - SUNDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2025
7 September 2025 at 07:04
OFFICIAL
Chris Minns Premier of New South Wales
Penny Sharpe Minister for Climate Change
Minister for Energy
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Heritage
Tara Moriarty Minister for Agriculture
Minister for Regional NSW
Minister for Western NSW
Janelle Saffin Minister for Small Business
Minister for Recovery
Minister for the North Coast
MEDIA RELEASE
The Great Koala National Park
Sunday, 7 September 2025
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| MAP: NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service Click on image to enlarge |
The Minns Labor Government has today confirmed the next major step delivering on an election commitment to protect koalas in the wild, announcing the proposed boundary for the Great Koala National Park, alongside a comprehensive plan to support workers, industry and local communities.
On National Threatened Species Day, the NSW Government is announcing:
The proposed boundary for the Great Koala National Park
An immediate temporary moratorium on timber harvesting within this proposed boundary
A comprehensive worker and industry support package
$6m in community and small business supports for the mid-north coast region
An additional $60 million to establish the park.
Without action, koalas are on track to be extinct in the wild in NSW by 2050. At the last election, we promised to take action to establish the Great Koala National Park — and today we are delivering on that commitment.
The park will reserve 176,000 hectares of state forest and connect with existing national parks to create a 476,000-hectare reserve – one of the largest in NSW.
This park will protect more than 12,000 koalas, 36,000 Greater Gliders and habitat for over 100 other threatened species.
The Government has imposed a temporary moratorium effective Monday 8 September 2025 on timber harvesting within the proposed park boundary.
The NSW Government has planned carefully and will stand with affected workers, businesses and communities every step of the way.
It’s why today we are announcing comprehensive assistance for impacted business and workers.
The immediate temporary moratorium will have an impact on 6 out of more than 25 timber mills in the region and approximately 300 jobs.
Assistance includes JobKeeper-style payments to support workers by covering salaries, and also financial assistance towards business operating costs.
As well as financial payments to cover salaries, workers and their families will have immediate free access to mental health, financial and legal counselling services and training support.
The Government has contacted every impacted mill and will now commence discussions with them about their long-term options and ensure appropriate support for workers.
The Government recognises there will be challenges as the transition begins and is committed to working with local communities every step of the way.
The NSW Government has also committed $6 million to support new opportunities for tourism and small businesses on the Mid North Coast, with the package to be developed in consultation with local communities to grow jobs and investment as the Great Koala National Park is established.
An additional $60 million in funding is being announced for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to support the establishment of the park. This is in addition to the $80 million announced in 2023.
The final creation of the park is dependent on the successful registration of a carbon project under the Improved Native Forest Management Method, which is currently moving through the Federal Government assessment processes.
Today's announcement follows extensive consultation with industry and community stakeholders and a comprehensive expert assessment process.
The Government thanks everyone involved for their input and patience during this process.
The Great Koala National Park will not end forestry on the North Coast. The Independent Forestry Panel is continuing to provide advice to the Government to inform the Forestry Industry Action Plan.
Information is available online, via www.nsw.gov.au/greatkoalanationalpark.
Quote attributable to Premier of NSW, Chris Minns:
“Koalas are at risk of extinction in the wild in NSW – that’s unthinkable. The Great Koala National Park is about turning that around.
“We’ve listened carefully and we’re making sure workers, businesses and communities are supported every step of the way.”
Quote attributable to Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe:
“The Great Koala National Park has been a dream for more than a decade. It will ensure koalas survive into the future so our grandchildren will still be able to see them in the wild.
“These amazing old-growth forests are among the world’s top biodiversity hotspots – home to more than 100 threatened species including greater gliders, the powerful owl and yellow-bellied gliders.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty:
“Our government’s priority is to fully support impacted workers with payments and services during this major change.
“That is why we will provide financial assistance to businesses we know will be impacted, so they can continue to pay their staff’s salaries and cover costs.
“We are committed to a sustainable forestry industry in NSW.”
Quote attributable to Minister for the North Coast and Small Business, Janelle Saffin:
“We are delivering on our election promise to deliver the Great Koala National Park for the North Coast.
“This will deliver the protection of our most precious and loved species, our koalas, that everyone in NSW wants to see protected; and the Greater Koala National Park will also provide an economic boon for locals and businesses alike.
“It is important to work together to ensure no one is left behind. We will be supporting impacted workers, businesses, communities and industry to maximise opportunities as we deliver the Great Koala National Park.
“I am committed to ensure that our forest workers and small business forest operators are supported economically and emotionally through this change.”
ENDS
BACKGROUND
Nature Conservation Council of NSW
New data reveals land clearing rates in NSW jump 40% across the state
MEDIA RELEASE
28th July 2025
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW, the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, is calling for urgent protection of rural bushland after Government data released today shows a dramatic jump in land clearing rates.
New South Wales’ latest land clearing data shows we are wiping out over 66,000 hectares of the Australian bush each year – that's equivalent to bull-dozing Sydney’s Royal National Park four times over.
“The jump in land clearing across NSW by 40% during Labor’s first year of governing is a major red flag. The Government needs to get moving on its election commitment to 'end runaway land clearing’,” Nature Conservation Council NSW CEO Jacqui Mumford said.
“Just last month the state’s foremost scientific scorecard – the State of the Environment Report – signalled that nature was getting worse across the board, with vegetation clearing a major driver of biodiversity decline.
“Destroying native bushland directly kills and displaces native animals, opens land up to erosion and weed invasion and decreases the health of the landscape.
“If we continue on the current trajectory, scientists predict NSW will lose nearly 500 wildlife species to extinction within the next century.
“The data released today is yet more evidence that NSW’s environmental laws are too weak.
“We’re calling on Premier Chris Minns to do as promised and strengthen habitat clearing laws urgently.”
Some of the highest land clearing rates are occurring in the western part of the state, which is home to the last populations of endangered malleefowl and critically endangered red-tailed black-cockatoos in NSW.
“Today’s findings are not surprising. When the previous government scrapped the Native Vegetation Act in 2016 we saw land clearing rates triple, and since then it’s remained out of control,” Ms Mumford said.
The data released today confirmed agriculture as the biggest driver of land clearing in NSW. In 2023, 77% of all clearing was due to agriculture – or 51,201 hectares.
It also showed that woodland and forest clearing on private land climbed particularly sharply.
“Tens of thousands of hectares of private land covered with habitat, that could have supported koalas and other species, were cleared in just 12 months, and the creatures that call those trees home are paying the price,” Ms Mumford said.
“Currently, agricultural businesses can bulldoze bushland, including koala habitat, without any independent assessment, due to regulation changes by the previous Liberal National Coalition Government. That needs to end.
“The Labor Government promised to rein in land clearing before the last election, but it's still a free-for-all.”
Background:
· The latest data produced by the NSW Government as part of its annual Statewide Land and Tree Study (SLATS) survey shows that 66,498 hectares of NSW bush was destroyed across the state in 2023 through agriculture, native forestry and development. This is a 47% increase from 45,252 hectares cleared in 2022.
· Based on average yearly land clearing rates, since coming to Government in March 2023 around 192,525 hectares of native vegetation may have been cleared by private landowners.
· At the 2023 state election the Labor Government made commitments to: ‘stop excess land clearing, strengthen environmental protections and reform the biodiversity offset scheme’. These commitments are also articulated in their Planfor Nature.
· In 2023 77% of all vegetation cleared was on agricultural lands, 15% due to private native forestry and 8% attributed to infrastructure development.
· Clearing native vegetation directly kills and displaces native animals. Over time, the effects of habitat fragmentation and disturbance can lead to invasion by weeds and further deteriorate the condition and habitat values of the remnant vegetation.
· According to the latest NSW State of the Environment Report report cards, of the 1000 plant and animal species listed as threatened in NSW only 50% are predicted to be living within 100 years time (i.e. 500 species will be extinct in 100 years).
ENDS
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