Thursday, 9 February 2023

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:53): (20) My question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety in the other place. It was estimated that 10 million animals were killed on Australian roads last year. The residents and wildlife volunteers of the Macedon Ranges have been reporting increases in native animal road strike, like the female koala that was recently found by a caring member of the public confused and unable to move on the Calder Freeway near Woodend. Noah & Lil, a volunteer-run wildlife rescue, attended to this injured and vulnerable koala just before midnight; however, with a fractured leg she was sadly unable to be saved and was euthanised. There is something that the government can do to help reduce increases in wildlife road strike, so I ask: will the minister install additional signage in wildlife hotspots throughout the Macedon Ranges to help save koalas and other native animals?