Millions in funding for koala research centre used to build rollercoaster – صحيفة الصوت

Environmentalists have been left disappointed after it was revealed $2.7 million in Queensland state funding originally meant for a koala research facility, was instead redirected to build a rollercoaster.

The funding was initially designated to Dreamworld in 2019 to support the creation of a new state-of-the-art koala research facility, which would have given guests a glimpse into scientific conservation methods.

Instead, the money went towards building the theme park’s Steel Taipan rollercoaster.

“I think the government has helped Dreamworld build a ride but the taxpayer has been taken for a ride and unfortunately the koalas have become short-changed too,” Gold Coast City Council councillor Hermann Vorster said.

Tourism and innovation minister Stirling Hinchcliffe said the government gave the go-ahead for the repurposing, citing a need to bolster international and local tourism in the region due to the impact of COVID-19.

The theme park claimed the rollercoaster provides a boost for the state.

“Dreamworld acknowledges and thanks the Queensland government for permission to repurpose the grant in question for the building of Steel Taipan; an attraction offering tremendous benefit to the rebuilding of the tourism industry and to employment in Queensland,” a spokesperson for the theme park said.

However, Vorster gave the justification short shrift.

“I think it’s ridiculous to be blaming COVID on this decision,” he said.

“Koalas need our help yesterday, they need our help today and they’ll always need our help tomorrow.

“The community should have had full transparency if the government changed their minds because maybe then people would change the government.”

Dreamworld has said while the future labs research centre project is on hold, it will continue to support koala conservation.

“Dreamworld is committed to conservation and makes meaningful change via the Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation, which has raised over $3.5 million for animal conservation and continues to fund important conservation projects in Australia and internationally.”