The Queensland Conservation Council has expressed disappointment that the Queensland Government has ignored hundreds of submissions from the community and key stakeholders to pass a controversial planning legislation.

Under the new laws, Olympic venues have a free pass to override environment and planning laws, while renewable energy projects will be subject to unprecedented new hurdles before they can lodge an application for development approval.

The vast majority of the 706 public submissions made to the Parliament about the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) Bill raised significant concerns or called for the Bill to be scrapped entirely.

In a final rushed amendment, the Crisafulli Government also pushed through changes reducing the statutory community consultation time required for regional plans from 60 days to 30 days.

The state government’s plan to turn core koala habitat into housing is a death sentence for many of the nation’s most iconic animals and at odds with community needs, a Queensland Conservation Council investigation has found.

185 hectares of core koala habitat providing important food and shelter for the South East’s koala populations is set to be impacted by large scale urban sprawl with the announcement of a 900ha Priority Development Area at Southern Thornlands in Redlands, an area proudly considered Queensland’s 'Koala Coast’ with one of the most significant koala populations right next door to a major city.

All of the Redlands is mapped as a 'Koala Priority Area', meaning there are large, connected areas that have the highest potential for supporting the long-term survival of koalas. The PDA also supports habitat for a range of other threatened species including the Glossy-Black Cockatoo, White-throated Needletail and Spotted-tail Quoll.

The Queensland Conservation Council is calling for the state government to revoke the PDA, rule out any new greenfield developments, and renew and strengthen the expiring South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy.

Conservationists are concerned new plans to redevelop QSAC for the Olympics could lead to clearing of important koala habitat at Toohey Forest, urging the government to commit to a 'koala-positive' Olympic Games.

Conservationists have welcomed the expansion of the Daisy Hill Conservation Park to better protect endangered koala habitat, while calling for more to be done to protect the species from going extinct in the state's South East.

The Queensland Government has purchased 213 hectares of land to add to the iconic Daisy Hill Conservation Park, which is not only home to a much loved koala centre, but also endangered koalas who live in this eucalypt forest.

The final SEQ Regional Plan update  shows an increased recognition of the need to reign in urban sprawl, and to design better, more resilient, cities and communities.

Many of the features of this updated Plan reflect the principles that SGS Economics & Planning suggested in their independent report Best Practice Regional Planning for SEQ.

However, it does not go far enough in protecting and restoring critical habitat, and ensuring the sustainability and liveability of our communities.

Read the full Holding the Line report (PDF 6mb)

A new report to be launched on the Sunshine Coast today shows koalas face an existential threat from urban sprawl and greenfield development in South East Queensland.

The Holding the Line report (PDF 6mb), commissioned by Queensland Conservation Council, shows the new update to the ShapingSEQ regional plan risks taking one of Australia's fastest growing regions below the 'bare minimum' international benchmark of 30% bushland coverage. Almost 6% of bushland is at risk of being lost to urban sprawl and new developments over the planning time period.

Expert analysis released today shows consolidation and well-designed infill can deliver all the housing that South East Queensland needs, with fewer costs and better social outcomes than urban sprawl. Commissioned by Queensland Conservation Council, the independent report from SGS Economics and Planning (PDF 3mb) provides a welcome injection of impartial and expert analysis to the housing debate.

The State Government is currently updating the SEQ Regional Plan in response to the housing crisis and growing population, with SEQ expected to grow to over 6 million people over the coming two decades.

Queensland Conservation Council is calling for the State Government’s South East Queensland draft regional plan to protect our native forests and the koalas, owls and other wildlife that calls it home.

The new plan - released for public consultation today - sets the rules around development in the state's south-east, which is expected to grow to accommodate a population of 6 million by 2046.

The plan proposes that 70% of development will take place within the existing urban footprint, while 30% will involve expansion into new areas.

Koalas face extinction if the six million residents projected to call South East Queensland home by 2046 are all housed in new detached housing estates.

Queensland Conservation Council has sounded the alarm that the future of our threatened species will be determined by how we build new homes.