I acknowledge that this is a complex issue because of the many conflicting and competing interests involved. There is the emotion of honouring those who served in wars.

There is koala habitat policy and its associated tree planting guidelines and there are also the planning issues associated with the development approval of proposed unit development.

All this means that this decision cannot be made on the sole basis of previously agreed policies.

This clearly needs to be a political decision and one that should not be avoided.

I am of the view that this is why we elect local government representatives. We want them to make decisions based on wider community views and opinions and not just on the ''rational'' bureaucratic red tape that will always entrap an issue.

This is then out in the open, and the electors can judge for themselves the legitimacy of the decision.

The memorial walk decision needs a good dose of political and practical commonsense.

There are bigger battles to fight in koala conservation that will have longer and more effective results than planting native species in the memorial walk.

Now is the time to move on.