Tuesday, 13 May 2025

Koala management

Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (18:37): (1595) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Environment, and the action that I seek is for an independent review to be undertaken into the aerial shooting of koalas in Victoria. Following a bushfire in the Budj Bim National Park on 10 March over 1000 koalas have been euthanised through aerial and ground shooting as part of a Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) led animal welfare response. Of the 2219 koalas assessed, 48 per cent were found to be suffering severe injuries and burns and were subsequently shot at from the air and forest floor, with virtually no communication or transparency provided to the community. In the weeks that have followed my office has been contacted by concerned individuals from around the world deeply distressed by the scale and the lack of transparency surrounding this operation, and they are demanding answers.

I fully acknowledge that while many koalas may have initially survived the fire, a significant number were suffering from burns, injuries and smoke inhalation or were indirectly impacted by the loss of food, water and habitat. Without urgent intervention these animals faced a slow, agonising and inevitable death. When animals are suffering beyond help, humane intervention is often necessary. However, my concern lies in the methods used and the deeply troubling questions surrounding the way this response was carried out.

Serious questions have been raised about the likelihood of koalas being inaccurately shot, resulting in prolonged and unnecessary suffering for already vulnerable animals. There was no capacity to properly check the pouches of female koalas prior to shooting, placing dependent joeys at extreme risk of being orphaned or killed. In some instances ground-based shooting was carried out despite the potential availability of more controlled and more humane euthanasia methods being available to them. Only one wildlife vet was involved throughout the entire operation, and while a third-party review took place to assess this plan, there are still significant concerns about the adequacy of their oversight and welfare monitoring during such a large-scale response.

I am sure that I do not need to convince this room that koalas being shot at from the sky is an absolutely horrendous situation that should have, at the very least, required clear, timely and compassionate communication with the community, who care so deeply about our koalas. An independent review into DEECA’s actions will allow us to understand how these decisions were made, whether appropriate protocols were followed and whether the operation met the standards expected by the Victorian public. I urge the minister to initiate an independent, transparent investigation into this matter so that we can learn from what occurred and ensure that such a devastating response is never repeated in our state.