<p>A dispute over koalas has created political chaos in Australia's most populous state with a split in the New South Wales governing coalition forming over policies designed to protect the animals.</p>.<p>The centre-right Liberal party and the rural-focused Nationals have a decades-old partnership in both state and federal politics, which sees power shared across cabinet positions when in government.</p>.<p>NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, from the Nationals, said his party would no longer support government legislation unless changes were made to policy drafted to protect koala habitats.</p>.<p>Barilaro said new policy unfairly limits the way rural property owners can manage their land but he maintained his party supported conservation.</p>.<p>"We actually want to see the population double. We are not anti-koala," Barilaro said.</p>.<p>The Nationals will abstain from voting on government legislation, except when it affected regional areas, forcing the government to find support elsewhere for its policies.</p>.<p>The party will also introduce a bill next week to repeal the conservation law.</p>.<p>The Nationals hold 13 seats in the lower house while the Liberals hold 35, giving the coalition a majority in the 93-member house.</p>.<p>NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, the leader of the coalition and the state Liberal party, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>.<p>An inquiry in June found koalas in NSW could become extinct by 2050 unless the government immediately intervened.</p>.<p>Land clearing for agriculture, urban development, mining and forestry had been the biggest factor in the loss of habitat.</p>.<p>Koalas live in eucalyptus forests, located mainly in the country's east.</p>.<p>New policy restricts construction in habitats and owners of the land must seek exemptions to conduct various works.</p>.<p>Corey Bradshaw, professor of global ecology at Flinders University, said NSW had some of the weakest anti-clearing laws in Australia.</p>.<p>"Koalas live in and eat trees - you don't need a university degree to predict what will happen when you continue to destroy their already highly degraded habitats," Bradshaw said in an emailed statement. </p>
<p>A dispute over koalas has created political chaos in Australia's most populous state with a split in the New South Wales governing coalition forming over policies designed to protect the animals.</p>.<p>The centre-right Liberal party and the rural-focused Nationals have a decades-old partnership in both state and federal politics, which sees power shared across cabinet positions when in government.</p>.<p>NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, from the Nationals, said his party would no longer support government legislation unless changes were made to policy drafted to protect koala habitats.</p>.<p>Barilaro said new policy unfairly limits the way rural property owners can manage their land but he maintained his party supported conservation.</p>.<p>"We actually want to see the population double. We are not anti-koala," Barilaro said.</p>.<p>The Nationals will abstain from voting on government legislation, except when it affected regional areas, forcing the government to find support elsewhere for its policies.</p>.<p>The party will also introduce a bill next week to repeal the conservation law.</p>.<p>The Nationals hold 13 seats in the lower house while the Liberals hold 35, giving the coalition a majority in the 93-member house.</p>.<p>NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, the leader of the coalition and the state Liberal party, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>.<p>An inquiry in June found koalas in NSW could become extinct by 2050 unless the government immediately intervened.</p>.<p>Land clearing for agriculture, urban development, mining and forestry had been the biggest factor in the loss of habitat.</p>.<p>Koalas live in eucalyptus forests, located mainly in the country's east.</p>.<p>New policy restricts construction in habitats and owners of the land must seek exemptions to conduct various works.</p>.<p>Corey Bradshaw, professor of global ecology at Flinders University, said NSW had some of the weakest anti-clearing laws in Australia.</p>.<p>"Koalas live in and eat trees - you don't need a university degree to predict what will happen when you continue to destroy their already highly degraded habitats," Bradshaw said in an emailed statement. </p>