Member for South West Coast has put on the record her condemnation of the act of cruelty in Cape Bridgewater which has lead to multiple koala deaths.
Speaking in State Parliament on Thursday morning, Ms Britnell said she was shocked an appalled at the images and videos which circulated on social media.
“Animal cruelty is not acceptable in any instance and those responsible must face the full the full brunt of the law,” she said.
“I am pleased that an investigation is underway and I want to assure those people who have contacted me as the local member that I will not stop pursuing this matter until those people responsible have been dealt with appropriately.”
Ms Britnell also spoke with Minister for Environment Lily D’Ambrosio about management of koala populations in the south-west and the potential for some regulation and monitoring of land handed back to private owners following the harvest of a plantation where koalas were found to be located.
“An issue was flagged with me by a DELWP official some 18 months ago that as the harvest progressed, the growing koala populations would be forced to move into smaller areas of habitat and may indeed face a shortage of suitable food sources,” she said.
“I have asked the Minister to have a look at this and we will meet again in the coming weeks to discuss the matter further.
“The eyes of the world have been on the south-west for all the wrong reasons. I think everyone agrees that this must never happen again.”
