New Koala Laws Are Difficult To "bear"

New Koala Laws Difficult to "Bear"

The Property Council is seeking urgent meetings with the State Government to clarify the impact of the recently introduced mapping and offset policy on the rights of property owners and approval processes.

The draft provisions . which introduce a moratorium on the clearing of mature koala habitat trees . also outline a process where development is to be directed to more suitable areas, predominately outside the urban footprint, which have been identified as having low or no koala conservation value, and where the regulatory provisions of the South East Queensland Regional Plan do not apply if the property is an approved biodiversity development offset area.

Property Council Queensland Executive Director, Steve Greenwood said .the property industry is concerned that the long-term vision for South East Queensland articulated by the Regional Plan is not supported by the conflicting policies and processes now coming from different parts of Government.

"Further, the State Government appears to be violating the traditional development rights that come with property ownership - without introducing the right to compensation.

"I fully support the Government.s aim of protecting key koala habitat areas in South East Queensland; clearly the majority of Queenslanders would want as much koala habitat protected as possible.

"However, if developers are restricted in their ability to move forward with developments as planned in the newly identified interim koala habitat protection areas; this will have a detrimental effect on housing affordability and jobs.

"There are now instances around South East Queensland, where a few months ago the South East Queensland Regional Plan said that these are appropriate places for development, yet now the koala planning policies are restricting development in those very same areas.

"Recent pieces of draft legislation, including the Draft Queensland Coastal Plan and the Draft South East Queensland Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions, are presenting serious challenges for the property sector as it works within the framework of the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031.

"We need to see a commitment by Government to address these issues and an immediate open dialogue with the property industry to get the ball rolling and create good community outcomes.

Media enquiries:

Steve Greenwood,
Executive Director - (07) 3225 3000 or 0488 721 156

SOURCE: Property Council of Ausralia (Qld)