"It has been five months since Environment Minister Penny Sharpe promised the decision for the GKNP would be soon… but still we wait! Meanwhile industrial scale clear fell logging and destruction of core Koala and Greater glider habitat has continued within the proposed park at an accelerated rate. It has been shown that Forestry Corporation is targeting the best of what is left within the GKNP footprint 3 the mature forests where the Koalas and Gliders are clinging on. The government's multi-million dollar scientific assessment of the GKNP proposal is complete. It included the most extensive and comprehensive nocturnal thermal drone survey assessment ever undertaken in NSW. The results demonstrate the critical importance of all 176,000 hectares of public native forest proposed by conservationists and scientists, back in 2015. Three Advisory Panels were established by the government to consult with community and conservation reps, Aboriginal organisations, the tourism sector, local government and the timber industry. The Panel process was completed in December 2024. Despite the planning work being completed over five months ago, a proposal still has not been put to NSW Labor Cabinet. Speculation abounds as to the reason for the hold up. Could it be the federal election, disagreement between Ministers as to the size of the park, or pressure from timber industry for an even more generous compensation package than that proposed? Or are they maximising timber extraction before it becomes a National Park? Who knows? Despite our appeals for an answer, the goverment's lips remain sealed. So, we are ramping up the campaign to further raise awareness of the GKNP proposal and put pressure on Premier Minns to get on with creating the GKNP as a matter of urgency.  If you would like to sign our letter to the NSW Premier and Ministers please visit www.koalapark.org.au
- Paula Flack, GKNP Campaign Coordinator for the National Parks Association of NSW