Tuesday, 2 May 2023

Northern Victoria Region

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (14:12): (119) My question is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. On 14 April Noah&Lil wildlife rescue in Woodend scooped up their fourth koala this year from the Calder Freeway in Macedon. Caldie the koala was attempting to cross the busy freeway in front of trucks doing 110 kilometres per hour because he made his way through a hole in a damaged fence. The fences along the Calder Freeway are in a state of disrepair, and my constituents are not getting answers or action. Caldie was lucky that his story did not end there, like it sadly did for the other three koalas that were rescued. After rehabilitation, he is, for now, safely back in the treetops of Macedon where he belongs. If this fence is not fixed, Caldie and other native animals face the very real threat of being killed on our roads by road strike. My constituents want to know when the minister will fix the fences along the Calder Freeway from Macedon to Woodend to help keep our wildlife safe.