2020-01-16 OM Agenda - Item 1 - Attachment 1 - Draft SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy 2019-2024

       Action area 2: Habitat protection
       KEP objective: Ensure koala habitat is protected

            KEP recommendation                           2018 government response
            2a) The state government to assume           •   The Queensland Government will strengthen state development assessment requirements to
            responsibility for the assessment                improve consistency in approach to koala habitat protection across SEQ.
            of koala-related planning and                •   The Queensland Government will incorporate koala related policy in future reviews of the State
            development issues to ensure                     Planning Policy and ShapingSEQ.
            consistency of approach across SEQ.
                                                         •   The Queensland Government will identify and manage inconsistencies in development
                                                             standards between state and private sector development requirements for koala habitat
                                                             protection.
            2b) Reduce the number and complexity         •   The Queensland Government will address development assessment exemptions that have an
            of exemptions from development                   adverse impact on koala habitat.
            assessment and put in place a
            transparent system of conditional
            approval across different habitat
            classes and land uses.
            2c) Broaden triggers for koala-related       •   The Queensland Government will work with stakeholders to tighten clearing requirements,
            development assessment in SEQ based              inside and outside of the urban footprint, and establish appropriate assessment provisions
            on the new koala habitat mapping.                based on new habitat mapping.
                                                         •   The Queensland Government will apply the habitat mapping to the development of priority
                                                             areas and development assessment provisions.
            2d) Develop new development                  •   The Queensland Government will work with stakeholders to tighten clearing requirements,
            assessment requirements for SEQ.                 inside and outside of the urban footprint, and establish appropriate assessment provisions
                                                             based on new habitat mapping.
            2e) Biodiversity offsets for koala habitat   •   The Queensland Government will review the offsets framework regarding koala habitat,
            should continue to be imposed as                 including how the framework is to relate to the identified koala priority areas and subject to the
            conditions on development approvals              outcomes of the strategic assessment process.
            only as a ‘last resort’, and not as an       •   The Queensland Government will encourage the delivery of koala offsets within koala priority
            automatic ‘licence to clear habitat’.            areas once identified through the SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy.
            2f) Any future expansion of the Urban        •   ShapingSEQ includes principles to govern the future expansion of the urban footprint
            Footprint, undertaken by the state as            including preventing the expansion of the footprint into areas containing predominately
            part of revisions to the SEQRP, should           matters of national or state environmental significance and the regional biodiversity network,
            not occur over areas where core koala            including koala habitat. This will include consideration of any impacts on the region’s ability to
            habitat (remnant and regrowth) has               accommodate future growth.
            been identified through the mapping,
            or where koala populations are known
            to occur.
            2g) Ensure that locally significant koala    •   The Queensland Government will work with local governments to ensure habitat not mapped by
            habitat, not captured by the mapping,            the state can be protected.
            or not in identified priority areas for
            koalas, can still be protected through
            local government planning schemes.
            2h) Reduce the complexity of the current •       The Queensland Government will improve the planning framework for koala-related
            planning framework.                              development to improve consistency and simplicity.
            2i) Review coordination between state        •   The Queensland Government will review coordination between legislative instruments and
            departments in relation to different             processes for koala-related development.
            legislative instruments.
            2j) The state’s commitment to a              •   The Queensland Government has commenced the strategic assessment process via a $5 million
            SEQ strategic assessment with the                funding commitment.
            Commonwealth under the EPBC
            Act should be undertaken as soon
            as possible to give certainty to all
            stakeholders and permit strategic
            planning for koalas with respect to the
            protection of habitat.




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