New Environment Minister Murray Watt faced an immediate challenge to his tenure, with a prominent conservation group demanding urgent action to save the koala.
New Environment Minister put on notice in front of 1,500 of the world’s best conservation biologists:
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) put new Environment Minister Murray Watt in the spotlight in front of 1500 conservation biologists at the recent 32nd International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2025) in Brisbane.
AKF Chair Deborah Tabart OAM addressed the conference and called on Minister Watt to urgently implement a Koala Protection Act or accept responsibility for the demise of the species.
Ms Tabart said a Koala Protection Act is the only legislative reform that stands a chance of saving Australia’s most beloved species.
“Yet, 15 consecutive Ministers have cowered to the stronghold of industry and refused to consider it as an option,” she said.
“A prerequisite for the position of Environment Minister has always been the ability to bury one’s head in the sand. 15 consecutive Ministers have ignored AKF’s science, refused to look at our world-leading habitat mapping, and in recent cases even denied a simple meeting.”
“Our democracy demands that our Ministers listen to the experts in their fields and face up to even the hardest of truths. I ask the newly appointment Minister Watt to do what his predecessor refused to do – meet with me, talk about the science behind the plight of the Koala and implement real legislative reform to save it.”
Ms Tabart made her plea to Minister Watt in front of the world’s best and brightest minds in the field of conservation biology. ICCB is a global forum for addressing conservation challenges and for presenting new research in conservation science and practice.
In her address to the ICCB, Tabart showcasee AKF’s 30-year effort to map the entire geographical range of the Koala – spanning 1.5 million square kilometres across Australia.
“This world-leading science is a first-of-its-kind yet offers no benefit in the hands of academics alone – it must be adopted by our political leaders and used as a catalyst to act.”
“The Koala is the canary in the coal mine for the entire Australian ecosystem. If we can’t save the Koala, we can’t save anything. So, my question to Minister Watt is clear – will you be the reason the Koala survives, or the reason for its demise?”
With Koalas now listed as Endangered in NSW, QLD and the ACT, AKF is calling on Minister Watt to enact a Koala Protection Act.
“Do you have ‘Watt’ it takes to introduce a Koala Protection Act, or will you be responsible for the species’ demise?” Ms Tabart said.
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is the principal non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the effective management and conservation of the Koala and its habitat.