11,000 Signatures.

This update is to sincerely thank each and every person who took the time to sign this petition and to thank the many, many people who left such emotional and often moving comments. I would love to have the time to write each of you a personal message of thanks but, as there are now well over eleven thousand signatures, that isn’t possible. I will however explain my motives for starting this petition. Some time ago I became extremely concerned about the absence of koalas in an area that was at one time famous for its koala population. I began to look into why there were so few. The video called “…and then there were none” was the result. I made the video because I didn’t know what else to do. With our system of government, there is no real mechanism to bring about change or to correct injustice. Letting people know what was happening was the only way I could effectively “do something”, and doing something was infinitely better than doing nothing. I have since realised that there are probably a lot of people out there who feel the need to “do something”, but don’t know where to start. Signing a petition is sometimes the most a person can do to change things that they feel are not right, to lend their voice to a plea for justice, or to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. It’s an innately human thing to reach out and show compassion, and I feel an obligation to the people who spoke up in this petition, to carry this fight forward. I don’t know how successful this petition will be, but I hope we can bring about something substantial for the koalas before they’re gone. As a another possible way forward, if anyone is interested in forming a group to begin letter campaigns, not just in Port Stephens, but anywhere else that wildlife and the environment are in trouble, please contact me at mickeyjmoons@hotmail.com . Email campaigns are useless as they are too easily filtered and blocked, but actual snail mail letters, printed, signed, addressed and mailed to a politician, must be opened and read. Admittedly, one letter is not much but thousands cannot be easily ignored and will bring attention to important issues. This may be a way to help save our natural environment without having to actually chain yourself to a bulldozer. Together we may be able to achieve something good. Thanks, Mick Moonen.