By Natalie Stevens
SYDNEY — It has become a familiar sight in Sydney: a koala-suited environmentalist on street corners, entertaining and informing the public about the Wilderness Society's campaigns while asking for donations.
These fundraisers collect the funds the Wilderness Society (TWS) depends on to campaign for the protection of wilderness areas.
The Sydney branch of TWS is currently involved in campaigns to protect Kakadu from uranium mining and save Hinchinbrook Island in Queensland. It is also involved in the NSW forests and wilderness campaign, launched in response to the state government's regional forest agreement process to determine which NSW forests will be protected and which will be logged for the next 20 years.
The agreements in Tasmania and Victoria have resulted in thousands of hectares of World Heritage-worthy native and old growth forest being delivered to the timber industry by those state governments.
As part of the forests and wilderness campaign, TWS is gearing up for the next NSW election. We are trying to encourage Premier Bob Carr to deliver on the promises he made, but has not kept, prior to his government's election in 1995. The promises included ending old growth logging, stopping export woodchipping and reorienting the timber industry towards more sustainable practises, all by the year 2000.
The "koalas" also participate in direct actions, such as when four koala-suited activists abseiled from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and attempted to unfurl a banner demanding "Wilderness preservation now".
In June, "Kelvin the koala" followed Queensland premier Rob Borbidge on his state election campaign circuit, pointing out his terrible environmental policies. Kelvin featured repeatedly in media coverage of the campaign and helped swing votes away from Borbidge.
Koala fundraisers' jobs are very different from the usual and involve many interesting experiences. It can be physically hard work, but most "koalas" say they wouldn't work anywhere else. They know they are doing something worthwhile.
TWS currently has koala fundraiser positions vacant. If you are interested in one of them, phone Natalie on 9552 2355, Thursdays to Saturdays.
[Natalie Stevens is the koala coordinator for TWS in Sydney.]