Jim McDonald, Assistant Minister Evans and Scott Buchholz with members of the Lockyer Uplands Catchment
Federal Member for Wright, Scott Buchholz has welcomed the Morrison Government’s
announcement of a $50 million in funding to support Koalas, that will improve the health outcomes
of the species, extend long-term monitoring, and restore and preserve critical habitat.
Mr Buchholzsaid the $50 million package will also provide significant flow on benefits for other native
species.
“These new measures are targeted to ensure long-term recovery and resilience of our beloved Koala
populations through monitoring, training in treatment and care, and on-ground action to protect
critical habitat,” Mr Buchholz said.
“We are working with the local community, with landholders and environment groups on habitat
restoration projects that will target significant koala areas.
“We are also investing in programs to train vets and vet nurses to treat koalas after extreme weather
events and we are funding research to determine the genetic strength of populations and how unique
DNA variants can provide resistance to diseases,” Mr Buchholz said.
Minister Ley said the $50 million package would also provide significant flow on benefits for other
native species.
“This new package will take Government spending on koalas to more than $74 million since 2019,
bringing together land managers, researchers, veterinarians and citizen scientists to address a full
range of support strategies,” Minister Ley said.
“The extra funding will build on work already happening across the koalas’ range to restore and
connect important habitat patches, control feral animals and weeds and improve habitat.”
The additional $50 million investment over the next four years includes:
• $20 million for habitat protection projects – grants for large-scale activities run by Natural
Resource Management and non-government organisations, industry, and Indigenous groups
as well as state and territory governments.
• $10 million for community-led initiatives – grants for local habitat protection and
restoration activities, health and care facilities, and citizen science projects
• $10 million to extend the National Koala Monitoring Program – to identify trends over time,
increase the number of sites sampled, and support the participation of citizen scientists
• $2 million to improve Koala health outcomes – grants for applied research activities and
practical application to address health challenges such as retrovirus, herpesviruses, and
chlamydia
• $1 million for Koala care, treatment and triage – expanding and continuing national training
for veterinarians and volunteers to care for and treat koalas.
