The main purposes of this plan are> (a) to promote the continued existence of viable koala populations in the wild; and (b) to prevent the decline of koala habitats. The main purposes are to be achieved by— (a) dividing the State into 3 koala districts based on the management strategies to be applied to each district; and (b) prescribing the objective for each koala district; and (c) enabling the chief executive to determine koala priority areas and koala habitat areas; and (d) prescribing requirements for clearing vegetation in particular areas; and (e) prescribing additional restrictions on the grant of particular animal authorities for koalas, including, in particular, the authorities authorising the release of koalas into the wild; and (f) prescribing an additional condition for rehabilitation permits for koalas taken from the wild.
The objective for each koala district is to ensure, having regard to the nature and extent of koala populations in the district, appropriate measures are taken to achieve the purposes of this plan mentioned in section 4(1), including measures that— (a) monitor koala populations in the district and threats to the survival of koalas in the district; and (b) monitor and review the effectiveness of conservation measures for koalas and koala habitats in the district; and (c) provide education and management strategies to help manage threats to the survival of koala populations in the wild, including, for example, threats caused by dog attacks or vehicle strikes. The main purpose of determining that an area is a koala priority area is to strategically focus long-term management and monitoring effort on areas that have the highest likelihood of achieving conservation outcomes for koalas. The main purpose of determining that an area is a koala habitat area is to avoid impacts on koala habitat to ensure the long-term persistence of koala populations in the wild.