Hughes independent candidate Linda Seymour hosts forum on koalas in Sutherland Shire and adjoining bushland

Independent candidate for Hughes, Linda Seymour, has organised the event, which will be held at Sutherland Multi-Purpose Centre.

The event will include talks by local film producers Georgia Wallace-Crabbe and Gregory Miller about their in-production film, The Koala Corridor, and Hughes citizen scientists Steve Anyon-Smith and Tom Kristensen, who recently discovered a koala colony in Heathcote National Park.

Registrations: www.lindaseymour.com.au/event-details/koalas-hughes-event

Ms Seymour has chosen a purple koala as her campaign mascot "to raise awareness of the need to protect our local wildlife, whilst at the same time merging the red and blue colours of the two major parties into purple, as a symbol of her desire to continue to bring the community together".

"We have amazing people living in Hughes who are committed to our local environment including our koalas," she said.

"Listening to them has taught me so much and I want to share their information and perspectives with my community.

"The koala forum is a continuation of the last two years of work we have done in bringing the community together and keeping people informed.

"Other forums have included presentations from medical practitioners working on the frontline to tackle Covid, an expert panel to discuss the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, and a screening of the documentary the Big Deal and a follow-up discussion about rorts, integrity and political donation reform with the film-makers.

"All our events are well-received and I am very excited to host an event that focuses on such an exciting aspect of where we live."