Hello Koala lovers,

I have just put out a press release (probably the most important press release of AKF’s history) to announce that I think the Koala may be “functionally extinct” in the landscape. This is a scientific term to describe “beyond the point of recovery”. There will be many in Government that think we are exaggerating, particularly those that live in Victoria and South Australia who think Koalas are in plague proportions, but we know not many locals agree with that.

As you will see in the press release, AKF has determined that there are so few places in Australia that we think have a viable population and most of them are in Victoria. The Australian Government has to ensure that Koalas are safe wherever they live. As you know the AKF has always taken the stand that the Victorian and South Australian Koalas are worthy of protection by the Australian Government. I am ready for the criticisms and after 31 years in the job, my response will be; “OK, tell me where there are thousands of Koalas living in the landscape and then I will rescind what I have said”.

I would like to encourage many of you who are Australian to also go to the Act or Axe page on our website and see what your local candidate for the May election has said about helping or protecting the Koala. I am hoping that this will loom large in your mind as you go about the most important thing we can do in life and that is to vote for our democracy.

The Prime Minister who takes the reins in the coming weeks will have to really start to understand that Mother Nature has seemed to have enough. Fire, flood (or drought), deforestation, hotter climate and other huge impacts on our environment need to be halted. The Koala forests of Australia are 20% of our continent – they could help with cooling our planet and making our lives more sustainable.

I hope I have your support in this important statement.

Sincerely,

Deborah

Update 14/05/19:
AKF has received two responses to date which you can read here: LNP and Catherine King MP