Statement attributable to NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin:
"NSW Farmers acknowledges that the Great Koala National Park was an election commitment, but it is disappointing that a practical middle ground based on the science has not been delivered that would sustain our rural communities in the area.
"The new park declaration also includes long-standing Perpetual Grazing Leases purchased and managed by farmers for over 100 years, and will adversely impact farm businesses and private native forestry operations.
"NSW Farmers supports koala protection and is gravely concerned the proposed Great Koala National Park will increase the major bushfire and biosecurity risk, exacerbating the north coast's pest and weed problem and threatening the viability of the koalas and other native species.
"Poor bushfire mitigation practices means national parks have become overgrown tinderboxes, threatening communities and the environment. With over 12,000 koalas and more than 36,000 greater gliders present in the current actively managed forests destined for national parks we do not want to witness incineration of their populations with a change in management.
"The ongoing poor management of this public land has meant parks are now also major havens for pests and weeds, and it's wreaking havoc on the environment within parks, as well as the private land outside them. Feral animals and weeds can't read lines on a map, so they're simply multiplying in these parks, outbreeding the natives and swarming across the landscape onto farmland. We're in for catastrophic pest and weed plagues in the future if this continues.
"Locking up land achieves nothing for the environment. From the Western Division right across to our coast, land is being bought up en masse for national parks, which are not only creating a huge wildfire risk and a huge biosecurity problem, but are also shutting farming families and young would-be farmers out of purchasing land to feed and clothe the nation. This will be exacerbated by further farm purchases in northern NSW to establish plantations for future timber needs of the state following this announcement.
"Northern NSW has borne multiple natural disasters over the last 7 years with many 1000s of homes destroyed from bushfires and floods, including on farms, and local communities continue to suffer. Removing 41% of the northern NSW timber resource will only worsen the situation.
"Proper resources and policy settings to reduce wildfire risk, manage pests and weeds, and monitor koala, greater glider and other species populations in our national parks must be delivered to ensure they are being protected."
