Australia’s government has just approved plans to conduct exploratory mining for coal seam gas in the Pilliga Forest, putting koalas, the Pilliga mouse and other rare wildlife in danger.

The plans involve drilling 36 pilot wells, the felling of 400 hollow-bearing trees – which form vital koala habitat - the removal of over 200 orchids and the possible contamination of groundwater.

Despite the fragility of the habitat and the scale of the plans, the federal environment minister Greg Hunt has decided that a proper environmental impact assessment is not necessary and the plans can go straight ahead.

This lax attitude, in which the convenience of industry seems to be regarded as far more important than the conservation of Australia’s wildlife, is completely unacceptable.

Enough of the mining free-for-all. Tell Mr Hunt to call an immediate halt to this potentially devastating project.