Despite losing substantial funding for koala habitat protection measures, Gunnedah Deputy Mayor Kate McGrath is certain the local koala project will prevail on its merit.
The Premier’s Department recently pulled its grant funding from two community projects, including one worth $100,000 ear marked for Gunnedah Urban Landcare Group’s (GULG) Habitat and Water Restoration to maintain Gunnedah Koalas Project.
GULG was identified following their commitment to koala habitat protection as a high priority for the area.
GULG chairperson George Truman says koalas in the Gunnedah district continue to suffer serious decline in numbers and there were no other projects or funding sources available to address the situation at a scale that might make a difference.
Which was why the group was glad that someone had recognised the need for action.
“The intent of the ‘Habitat and Water Restoration to maintain Gunnedah Koalas Project’ was to establish a wildlife corridor from the tree planting near the new Wildlife Sanctuary to link with existing plantings near the AgQuip site,” said Truman.
“This would provide a biodiversity corridor for koalas and other animals known to exist in this area. Additionally, we were going to install wildlife drinking stations in Goran and Breeza State Forest based on recent scientific observations and advice of koalas existing in these areas.”
The grant was initially nominated by Kate McGrath, as Labor’s Candidate in Tamworth during the state election, under Labor’s local grants program. However, the grant was deemed later unacceptable due to a conflict of interest inferred from her involvement in the project as the council delegate.
“We had a $400,000 allocation for community projects and we, as a branch, selected a couple of projects that were reflective of the branch priorities,” said McGrath.
McGrath says she disclosed her relationship as a council delegate when recommending the project, believing the conflict could have been managed properly.
“I was aware that my role as the council delegate could be construed as a conflict of interest, hence why I disclosed it,” she said.
“I was quite hopeful that because the council delegate role is essentially a non-governance role with no voting rights, that in the assessment process it would be deemed less than significant.”
Simply put, McGrath’s name on the application alone, rules the project out.
“They’ve determined that unfortunately it was unable to be managed appropriately and therefore the project’s ineligible, which is very disappointing.”
Truman echoed McGrath disappointing sentiments, after GULG members and landholders spent hours volunteering their times to meet the funding program’s stringent criteria.
“There was no political aspect to the project. GULG is non-political and was responding to an offer of potential funding.”
“The project was assessed as having significant merit by an independent assessment panel and GULG remains of the opinion that it was well deserving of this well-planned project and was extremely disappointed by the outcome.”
While disappointing, McGrath says its is encouraging to see Government processing doing their job.
“I obviously had some questions around why, but I think those checks and balances are important,”
“I think the project has merit and I would have loved to have seen it funded, but I certainly am not going to complain about there being a high level of scrutiny when it comes to allocation of taxpayer money.”
While the decision is final, the money will still stay in the Tamworth electorate, to be distributed across other community needs.
“It will be distributed among the three local governments in order to contribute to playground equipment, maintenance, and other projects.”
McGrath is confident the project will prevail through other funding avenues.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that that project will be funded through some grant program because it absolutely has merit,” said McGrath.
“Hopefully this will make people more aware of the amazing work Gunnedah Urban Landcare Group do, and the upside of this is their hard work gets a little bit of recognition and might even motivate a few people to want to join and get involved. The more manpower there is, the less need for money.”
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