Koala crisis: We’re at a ‘tipping point’ towards extinction

Australia’s peak koala protection body says the marsupial is careering towards extinction.

The Australian Koala Foundation believes there are no more than 80,000 koalas left in Australia and says whoever wins tomorrow’s federal election needs to take action to protect them.

The Queensland government has already declared koalas “functionally extinct” in the state’s south-east.

“There comes a tipping point, and I think we’re at that,” foundation chairman Deborah Tabart told Ross and John.

“I’ve been there 30 years and this is a huge thing for me to say.”

3AW Breakfast was alerted to the dire state of affairs via overseas media including BBC.

“I must confess it’s been picked up better overseas than Australia,” Ms Tabart said.

“Industry is terrified that if governments protect the landscape, that — somehow or other — is going to put a stop-work on development or mining or whatever.

“That doesn’t need to be the case, it just means that they’ve got to do someone to protect the animals on the site.”

Click PLAY to hear Deborah Tabart’s full comments