2016-04-19 P&E Committee - Item 4, Attachment 1 - Draft Koala Conservation Management Plan

National

The koala is listed as a ‘Vulnerable’ species under the Commonwealth Environment
Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Development that has a
significant impact on koalas requires referral to the Australian Government Minister for
the Environment. Under the EPBC Koala Referral Guidelines impacts on ‘habitat
critical to the survival of the species’ and impacts that ‘substantially interfere with the
recovery of the species’ are a ‘significant impact’. For example the loss of twenty (20)
hectares or more of high quality connected habitat critical to the survival of koalas is
likely to be a significant impact. Under the guidelines a development in an urban area
is unlikely to require referral as the area is already being fragmented, there are
substantial risks to koalas, and it is unlikely that populations and habitat will recover
over time.

A development that avoids or mitigates a significant impact also does not require
referral. The EPBC Koala Referral Guidelines provide guidance on how to mitigate
significant impacts covering:
      Dog control
      Vehicle strike
      Koala infection control
      Koala friendly infrastructure
      Maintaining ground water hydrology to support habitat

Under the EPBC Act Environment Offset Policy, any residual impact of an assessable
development will require an offset obligation.

In most cases the EPBC Act does not stop development, but provides measures to
avoid, mitigate, or offset the significant impacts of development on koalas.

State

Most regulatory control that affects koalas occurs at a State Government level. Under
the Nature Conservation Act 1992 koalas are listed as ‘Vulnerable’. Under the
Queensland Vegetation Management Act (VMA) 1999 clearing of vegetation is
generally avoided if an area is mapped as Essential Habitat. These are areas of
potential habitat for Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened species, including
koalas. Development applications in mapped Essential Habitat are assessed by the
State.

The SEQ Regional Plan states the principle of koala conservation as ‘populations in
the region are enhanced through the protection, management and the achievement of
a net gain in bushland koala habitat and through managing conflict with urban
development’. The key planning instruments to achieve this are the State Planning
Policy (SPP) 2014 and the South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning
Regulatory Provisions (SPRP). The SPP is to be reflected in local planning
instruments and aims to provide a net gain in koala habitat. The SPRP identifies
assessable development areas which are areas of highest risk to koalas in SEQ.
Development assessment in these areas is devolved to Council from the State (see
Map 1).




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