New research has debunked the Minns Labor Government's justification for shutting down the timber industry, revealing the establishment of the Great Koala National Park will do nothing to protect koala populations.
The latest Natural Resources Commission study reinforces previous scientific data showing "selective harvesting had no significant effect on male koala density."
NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said the government has deliberately ignored its own research to put an election commitment above people's lives.
"It's an absolute disgrace the Premier and the Environment Minister have made the decision to push ahead with the park despite having this information on hand, and it shows it was nothing more than a political move," Mr Saunders said.
"Not only is it completely negligent but it's also a bitter betrayal to the more than 5500 dedicated regional workers on the North Coast who have had their entire livelihoods destroyed overnight."
Shadow Minister for the North Coast, Gurmesh Singh, said the two year consultation process clearly didn't mean anything.
"It's hard to believe the Minns Government has been secretly withholding this information that proves what we've known all along - that timber and koalas can and do happily coexist," Mr Singh said.
"It's yet another blow to the people who have been saying for years there could have been a positive way forward with a smaller footprint that would have meant they didn't have to lose everything."
Nationals Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, said Labor's lies are stopping people from being able to put food on the table.
"It's been more than a month since the moratorium on timber harvesting was announced and thousands of Dads were told on Father's Day they may no longer have a job to go to," Mr Williamson said.
"This research funded by Penny Sharpe's own department completely unravels Labor's reasoning for the stop work orders, but it's clear the only people she and Chris Minns care about are themselves."
Nationals Member for Oxley, Michael Kemp, said it was never about environmental outcomes.
"The Great Koala National Park completely disregards the fact the NSW timber industry is among the most sustainable and tightly regulated in the world. Unlike the myths by activists, it is the gold standard - renewable, recyclable, and essential in so many ways," Mr Kemp said.
"Yet what we're seeing here is Labor bending over backwards to pander to people's emotions and ignore the science, it's not based on any kind of evidence or logic and it's silencing the voices of our regional communities."
Nationals Member for Myall Lakes, Tanya Thompson, said the minimal compensation package won't help struggling families in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
"The $100,000 currently on offer is fake support that will do little more than tick a box when you consider some of these businesses are being obliterated and will continue to be impacted for years to come," Mrs Thompson said.
"The feeling on the ground is once again that people have been completely let down because the Minns Labor Government has again underestimated the scale of the devastation it has caused."
