I move:

That this House supports the creation of the Great Koala National Park as a driver of tourism, economic opportunity and native forest protection and the best chance of saving the endangered, iconic koala in New South Wales.

The Great Koala National Park represents one of the most significant conservation opportunities in New South Wales history. It is a project grounded in science, shaped by community voices and designed to secure the future of an iconic species whose survival is now in our hands. The Government has been clear from the beginning that the Great Koala National Park is not simply about drawing lines on a map. It is about building a long-term, community-supported conservation legacy for the Mid North Coast that protects koalas, strengthens regional economies and honours the deep cultural connection of Aboriginal communities to country. That work is well underway.

Koala populations in New South Wales have been under pressure from habitat loss, disease and climate impacts. The Great Koala National Park will protect some of the most important koala habitat in the State. This habitat supports not only koalas but also more than 100 other threatened species. Once established, the park will span over 476,000 hectares of protected forest, making it one of the most significant conservation initiatives in New South Wales. It will significantly improve landscape connectivity across the Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Clarence regions, allowing species to disperse and adapt to a warming climate. The park will also deliver significant carbon benefits, because instead of being logged, the vast network of forests will continue to mature, drawing more carbon out of the atmosphere. This is conservation at scale and the kind of landscape-level protection that experts and advocates have been calling for for over a decade.

The Great Koala National Park is not only an environmental project. It is a once-in-a-generation economic and recreation opportunity for the Mid North Coast. Nature-based tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia. The Great Koala National Park will anchor the Coffs Coast as a global destination for wildlife experiences, cultural tourism and outdoor recreation. North Coast national parks attracted more than 4.2 million visitors last year and annually they generate over $1.7 billion in local economic activity, which is why the Government is investing in new visitor infrastructure and support for local operators and small businesses.

The Government has been up-front in supporting workers. The transition away from native forestry in parts of the region affects people, which is why we have put in place a comprehensive support package for workers, mills and communities. This includes top-up redundancy payments of four weeks pay per year of service, with a further three weeks pay per year of service over 45 years; education and training payments; relocation payments; and free access to mental health support and independent peer support coordinators. The union has said that the package is more than twice what the best enterprise agreements offered and up to four times more than the award alone.

While the Government has been doing the hard work of consulting, planning, and supporting workers and engaging communities, Opposition members have been doing something very different. They have been trying to sit on both sides of the fence. Some have said that the park is a farce and some have said they support the park. When legislation to establish the park comes before Parliament, members opposite will have to pick a side. My question to them is: Will they vote to protect koalas? Will they vote to support new tourism opportunities?

Will they vote to secure a conservation legacy that their kids will be proud of or will they vote no?

People in the electorates of Opposition members deserve a clear answer. Is it yes or is it no?