Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson has called on the Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon to protect urban koalas after the removal of two from Ormiston in August.
The koalas living in trees at Cowley Street were removed to make way for a residential development.
Mr Robinson asked in Parliament, with large scale development imminent, what was being done to ensure the survival of the animals?
Ms Scanlon said the government was committed to securing the survival of koala populations through the strongest protections the state had ever seen.
"The new koala protections which were introduced in February 2020 are not applied retrospectively.
"The development at Cowley Street, which was approved by the Redland City Council in 1990, prior to the release of the new koala mapping, was assessed against the mapping in effect when the application was made," Ms Scanlon said.
She said under the new regulations, more than 714,040 hectares was now mapped as koala habitat including 332,278 hectares within koala priority areas, where clearing of koala habitat areas was now prohibited, with some exemptions.
These measures have been complemented by the release of the South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2020-2025 in August 2020.
"The strategy details the government's direction in reversing the decline in koala populations across south east Queensland and, in doing so, safeguarding the future of this iconic species," she said.
She said implementation of the strategy was well underway.
Meanwhile with breeding season underway koalas are on the move again across Redlands and the community is being urged to keep watch for them.
Mayor Karen Williams said koalas were more active during the breeding season, which continued through to December.
"Koalas are mostly active at night but they will move around during the day if they are disturbed, if they are too hot, too cold or simply to find a new feed tree.
"But right now they are out looking for love, so we need to be alert for them on the road or moving through our yards," she said.
If you notice the koala is ill or injured, call the Redlands 24hr Wildlife Rescue Service on 3833 4031.
To join the Redlands Coast Koala Watch, go to redland.qld.gov.au/koalawatch
