PORT Stephens Koala Hospital staff "still have questions" around a federal decision to list the iconic Australian animal as endangered.
"It's a very welcome announcement but there's no detail," President Ron Land said.
"I've been involved in the plight of many local koala conservation groups and we would love to see endangered species legislation. But it has to have teeth to be meaningful."
Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley on Friday announced koala populations in NSW, Queensland and ACT will be listed as "endangered", instead of "vulnerable".
"The impact of prolonged drought, followed by the Black Summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation and habitat loss over the past twenty years have led to the advice," she said.
Ron Land says more than an announcement, government needs to legislate change that will protect koala populations.
"What we would like to see is the minster's statement enshrined either by legislation or by gazettal - but both processes take time," he said.
"We also want to know what impact, if any, this federal announcement has on state legislation and on local council when considering development applications that may affect koala habitat."
Port Stephens Council Natural Systems Coordinator, Rean Lourens, said the council is "very supportive of any measures that will assist in saving koala populations and habitat in the LGA".
However, Mr Lourens said council undertakes assessments under NSW legislation and does not have a role in referring development applications to the federal government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
"The Australian and NSW Governments have a bilateral agreement that allows significant impacts on federally listed species to be offset under state legislation," he said.
Federal Member for Patterson Meryl Swanson was scathing in a statement issued Friday, saying it is "disgraceful" the endangered listing took so long.
"Habitat loss is the biggest risk to the koala, and yet this Government continues to allow thousands of hectares to be cleared for projects such as Brandy Hill Quarry," Ms Swanson said.
A 2017 preliminary determination by the NSW Scientific Committee - which supported a proposal to list the koala population of Port Stephens as endangered - cited a 2007 report putting the area's koala numbers at 800.
Mr Land said that his organisation "agrees with the 2007 population estimate but believe the current number of adult koalas to be 350 at best".
