Farmers paid to preserve koala habitat

Farmers would be paid by the NSW Government to preserve koala habitat on their properties under a proposal being formulated by senior ministers. The plan, which involves compensating farmers under the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, is being developed following the failure of the koala planning policy that split the coalition and threatened to plunge the NSW government into minority in September. Both NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro and Liberal Environment Minister Matt Kean are working to tailor the $350 million biodiversity trust to pay regional landowners for protecting koala habitat.