More than 50 national, state and local climate and environment organisations, including, including The Australia Institute, Greenpeace and Queensland Conservation Council have signed on to a joint letter calling on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to reject new coal mine and coal mine expansions, currently being assessed under the EPBC Act, that will devastate endangered koala habitat.  

Download the joint letter here

The letter comes as a new ‘koalas not coal’ campaign website has been launched detailing the planned destruction of koala habitat by coal mines seeking approval from the Albanese government.

The letter and campaign launch follows the release of a shocking new expert report last week, which reveals one third of the land covered by applications for new coal mining leases in QLD provides habitat for the endangered koala. The mining lease areas cover around 123,000 ha, of which 42,500 ha is classified as koala habitat. 

According to the federal environment department, there are 40 proposed new coal mining projects in NSW and QLD awaiting federal government assessment. More than half of these coal projects would destroy koala habitat, including;  

• Whitehaven Coal’s Blackwater South coal project, which could affect up to 7000 hectares of koala habitat west of Rockhampton in Central Queensland 
• Vitrinite’s Vulcan South project in QLD, which will clear 770 hectares of koala habitat
• Glencore’s Hail Creek project in QLD, which will clear nearly 600 ha of koala habitat
• Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri Project in NSW, which will clear nearly 500 hectares of koala habitat with around 235 hectares of this habitat being defined by Whitehaven as ‘core habitat’
• Yancoal’s Moolarben project in NSW which will clear 113 hectares of occupied koala habitat, and 675ha of bushland home to a number of threatened species

State and federal government action statements for the koala state the two biggest threats to koalas are habitat loss, and climate change. The groups say Minister Plibersek can address both of these threats by rejecting koala-killing coal projects. 

In NSW, koalas could be facing extinction in the wild by 2050. The groups are calling on Plibersek to put in place an immediate moratorium on the clearing of any further koala habitat for coal and gas, and reject new coal mines and expansions with plans to bulldoze koala habitat.

Lock the Gate Alliance National Coordinator Ellen Roberts said:

“New and expanding coal mines threaten koalas on two fronts: they both clear much needed  habitat and fuel dangerous climate change.

“Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek needs to realise Australia can have koalas, or it can have new coal projects. It can’t have both.

“It’s a sad irony that the koala has been nominated as a mascot for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics as the government hastens this iconic species’ demise by allowing the construction of new, polluting coal projects.”

Jacqui Mumford, Chief Executive Officer of Nature Conservation Council NSW (NCC) said:

"Our threatened species have been bearing the brunt of climate chaos and habitat destruction for far too long and it's time for it to stop.

"Australia leads the world on mammal extinctions and if real action isn't taken we risk losing iconic species like the greater glider and koala.

"We are calling on all levels of government to stop destroying threatened species habitat.

"Coal is yesterday's technology – its time is done. And coal mine expansions should be ruled out – especially in threatened species habitat."

Ben Pennings, Coal and Gas Campaigner at the Queensland Conservation Council said:

“Tanya Plibersek’s job is to protect endangered koalas, not approve the destruction of their homes for unnecessary coal projects.”

“The International Energy Agency is clear that we don’t need new coal projects. Most Australians don’t want new coal and we adore our iconic species. Tanya Plibersek needs to listen and protect what we love.”