Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has successfully moved for a new Senate inquiry to assess the threats to and management of koalas across the country. The Inquiry into the status, health and sustainability of Australia’s koala population, has particular reference to:

1. the iconic status of the koala and the history of its management;
2. estimates of koala populations and the adequacy of current counting methods;
3. knowledge of koala habitat; d. threats to koala habitat such as logging, land clearing, poor management, attacks from feral and domestic animals, disease, roads and urban development;
4. the listing of the koala under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;
5. the adequacy of the National Koala Conservation and Management Strategy;
6. appropriate future regulation for the protection of koala habitat;
7. interaction of state and federal laws and regulations; and i. any other related matters.

Hopefully our next newsletter will contain some good news about the future of the koala as a result of this Inquiry. You may read our submission at / senateinquiryform.html. An official document of this magnitude is not cute and cuddly, but it is incredibly important.

BECOME A PART OF KOALA HISTORY! To help raise funds to support the document we are offering unique pages to sponsor. By donating $100 you can buy a page of the Senate Inquiry document and your name will be listed on our Senate Inquiry Online Honour Board, and we will send you a personalised certificate honouring your support of this important historical document. Just fill in the Senate Inquiry section on the enclosed form, or go online to /senateinquiryform.html