Some of the recent history re. the Woodburn to Ballina section of the Pacific Highway upgrade and the koala-killing route chosen by the RTA - now RMS - for the Wardell area:- From the (23/2/14) article: A koala expert has quit after a NSW government backflip resulted in ecologists being phoned as they were surveying for koalas in the bush near Wardell on the north coast and told to stop. Roads and Maritime Services has been accused of endangering a rare ancestral koala population with the genetic diversity needed to ensure the survival of koalas on the NSW coast, because of pressure to avoid delays in the Pacific Highway upgrade. After awarding a contract to Ecosure to fully assess koala activity along the planned Wardell bypass, the department changed its mind a fortnight ago, and told the company it could only check for koalas in the immediate vicinity of animal underpass sites already chosen by the department. Steve Phillips, an ecologist who sits on the federal governments koala expert group, quit on the spot. He says koalas will die. In his resignation letter to Ecosure, Mr Phillips said the department direction compromises the integrity, independence and veracity of the field assessment that was agreed to. The letter said the underpasses chosen were very poorly informed. The department appeared concerned that what he might say in his report may damage the progress they have made on the highway design. ... brisbanetimes.au/environment/conservation/expert-quits-over-road-threat-to-wardell-koalas-20140222-338v7.html
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:52:23 +0000
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