NSW koala stoush ends as Nationals and Liberals agree to remove red tape for farmers

The NSW Liberals and Nationals have made a deal on koala protection which gives more concessions to farmers after the issue threatened to tear the Coalition apart last year.

Tensions over koala policy reached breaking point last September when Nationals leader John Barilaro threatened a move to the crossbench over the Government’s proposed protections.

The Liberals have now struck an agreement with the Nationals which will see rural areas removed from the new State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPP) and come under a new code that is yet to be developed.

It means land zoned for farming or forestry will not be subject to the land clearing rules that are designed to protect koala habitat.

Mr Barilaro said the concerns of landholders in…