Port Stephens Koala Hospital would receive $2 million over four years, if Labor wins the upcoming State Election.
The facility which is largely run by volunteers provides essential care and rehabilitation to our endangered national icon when they are injured or sick.
Koalas in Port Stephens face a number of threats including habitat loss, road strikes, dog attacks, and chlamydia infection.
The funding Labor has promised to deliver if they’re elected will enable the Hospital to provide veterinary and nursing services, providing more surgical procedures and ensuring no sick or injured koala has to be turned away from care.
NSW Shadow Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe was at the Koala Hospital to make the announcement yesterday with incumbent MP Kate Washington and said saving Port Stephen’s koala population is important for the entire population’s continued survival.
“Koalas in NSW are in trouble and on track to be extinct in the wild by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.
“The Port Stephens Koala Hospital is helping to secure the Port Stephens koala population by caring for and rehabilitating sick and injured koalas to give them the best chance of returning to the wild. This funding will help them continue their important work.”
“The people of Port Stephens are proud of our koala hospital, which is powered by hundreds of volunteers,” Kate Washington said.
“I’m proud to have been there from the start, when sketches of Port Stephens Koala Hospital were unfurled on my desk and I secured seed funding.”
President of the Port Stephens Koala Hospital Ron Land couldn’t be happier.
“I can now plan with certainty for at least the next four years that we will have the front line services to deploy when we have emergency admissions, some of the cases we get here are in appalling conditions.
“This is a wonderful commitment of sorely needed funds to prevent the extinction of koalas in Port Stephens.
“It is a tremendous acknowledgement of the work we do and is greatly appreciated,” he said.