I move:

That this House:

(1)Welcomes the announcement of the Great Koala National Park, which, once complete, will protect 476,000 hectares of threatened species habitat, including 176,000 hectares of State forest.

(2)Supports an immediate temporary moratorium on timber harvesting within the proposed Great Koala National Park boundary.

(3)Notes the Great Koala National Park will protect 12,000 koalas, 36,000 greater gliders and over 100 threatened species.

(4)Welcomes the opportunity for New South Wales to have a new international tourist destination that will boost the economy and create jobs.

This past weekend was an historic time for conservation in New South Wales. I am proud to be part of a government that has announced what will become one of the largest and most significant conservation areas in our State—the Great Koala National Park. This park is over 4,000 hectares in size and will not only protect our precious koalas and their habitat but also safeguard over 100 threatened species, including 36,000 greater gliders. Old-growth forests that have stood for centuries will now be protected forever. Yesterday an immediate moratorium on timber harvesting in the proposed park area came into effect. It will affect 176,000 hectares of current State forest. It is the critical first step in our plan to protect biodiversity and deliver real climate action, with the park also offering the potential to generate over $300 million in carbon credits over the next 15 years.

The concept of the Great Koala National Park was first proposed more than a decade ago. Since then, koala ecologists, conservation groups and many local communities and businesses have been collectively advocating for its creation. Labor took the proposal to an election several times. Finally, it is coming to fruition. It is not just the Government that is saying this. On Sunday, the World Wildlife Fund [WWF] stated:

This park is a chance to turn this tragedy around and eventually lift koalas off the threatened species list by 2050.

It will safeguard some of our most important koala habitat and ensure future generations can still experience forests full of koalas.

These tall eucalypt forests are a climate refuge for koalas. Australia needs landscape-scale protected area networks like this to prepare for the possibility of 2.5 to 3 degrees of warming by the end of this century.

This park is not just about conservation; it is also about community. This announcement will affect people, but we have planned carefully. A small number of mills—six in total—will be impacted. The vast majority of the industry will continue without disruption. To those affected, we are with you. We have already begun working directly with businesses and we are rolling out a comprehensive support package. That includes JobKeeper-style payments of full salary for workers, education and retraining support, and free mental health services. External negotiators have been appointed to ensure that every mill and every worker is treated fairly and respectfully through this transition. We are also investing in the future of the region. With $6 million in new funding for tourism and small businesses, the Great Koala National Park will anchor the Coffs Coast as a global destination for nature-based tourism. We expect it will generate an additional 85,000 visitor nights each year and drive over $160 million in economic benefits from increased visitation. Outdoors NSW & ACT also welcomed the announcement and stated:

For the outdoor industry, the Great Koala National Park is more than a new protected area that will serve future generations and educate on the importance of conservation—it's an opportunity for more school camps, guided walks, adventure tours and nature play, that get people outdoors for their health and wellbeing. The park has the potential to be a world-class backdrop for outdoor experiences.

Aboriginal communities will be at the heart of this journey. Joint management, Aboriginal-led tourism and the employment of new Aboriginal rangers—15 per cent of the staff—will ensure that this park delivers long-term, tangible benefits for First Nations people. Next year the Government will bring forward legislation to formally establish the park, but the protection starts today. This is a moment of pride for our State. It shows that we can protect the environment, support industry and strengthen communities all at once.

The only question that remains to ask is: Who will vote to support the Great Koala National Park when the legislation comes to this House next year? The Greens and some of our Independents have come out strongly welcoming the decision, and I thank them for their support. But it is unclear what the Coalition will do. The member for Coffs Harbour has said that he does not support the park and that he will not vote for it. He has also said that the shadow environment Minister, the member for Manly, does not support the park either and will not vote for it. Strangely, we have not heard from Liberal MPs. I hope that they use the opportunity in today's public interest debate to clearly outline their position.

This is a great day for conservation, for local tourism development, for koalas and for our State.