THE region's farmers will now have greater clarity of the state government's koala protection policy, after the Liberal Party agreed to implement changes brought forward by the Nationals.
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The NSW Government's Koala Planning Protection Policy (SEPP) had sparked division between the two parties and threatened to split the Coalition last month.
NSW Nationals leader and deputy premier John Barilaro threatened to blow up the coalition government if concessions weren't made to rural property owners.
However the changes signify the end of the stoush and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said "everything's back on track" between the two parties.
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"It's a sensible, balanced outcome and approach which is something we have been pushing for and it really looks after farmers' rights," Mr Anderson said.
"These changes will allow farmers to earn a living from their land without having a stack of green tape wrapped around it.
"Sometimes you need a bit of a shake up to get your message across and now we're back at the table."
But the change to the SEPP's conditions has drawn condemnation from Greens MP Cate Faehrmann, who said the species' future looked even more bleak due to the Liberal Party's back-peddling.
"Koalas have suffered so much, with at least one third of them killed in the bushfires," Ms Faehrmann said.
"The changes to the definition of core koala habitat was the key change that was most supported by wildlife advocates, with many environment groups still concerned that protections for koalas in the new laws were too weak.
"This back down to the National Party's demands doesn't bode well for future reforms to protect koala habitat in the coming years."
Mr Anderson said the concerns were unfounded because the region was leading the way in koala conservation.
"Bureaucrats need to listen to the voice of experience and that is land managers and farmers," he said.
"You've only got to see things like the Blinky Drinkers, koala corridors and other koala saving measures we have in the region to see that we are at the forefront of koala conservation.
"That kind of work has been going on long before the Greens dubbed themselves koala heroes.
"We know our landholders and farmers are the best sustainable land managers we have and they go over and above to protect natural koala habitat.
"It would do some greenies wise to listen to farmers rather than some ideological city-centric greenies who try to tell us how to run our country."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
