Australian threatened species at risk with no recovery plans finalised in past 18 months

Greens senators say development is being prioritised over environmental protection, putting mining first and the koala last'

The federal environment department has not finalised a single recovery plan for threatened species in nearly 18 months despite 172 remaining outstanding.

A Senate committee has heard the department last completed a recovery plan for a threatened species in June 2019 and has no timeframe for addressing the backlog, which includes critically endangered animals such as the Leadbeater's possum.