Richard Di Natale on the threat to Victoria’s Leadbeater’s Possums
Senator Di Natale spoke of deep concerns regarding the future of Victoria’s state animal emblem, the Leadbeater’s Possum, a tiny marsupial that’s only found in the central highland mountain ash forests of Victoria and whose remaining numbers are estimated at fewer than 1000.
The Victorian Government’s environmental regulation is not working, and this species is on a trajectory to rapid extinction. It makes no sense to hand further environmental protections to the state government because where they’re concerned, safeguarding our natural heritage for the long term always comes second to the short-term benefits of rapid development and exploitation.