The State Government's decision to gift a small parcel of land at Alexandra Hills to council ownership has not received accolades from some koala groups or the State Opposition.

Why not? Perhaps because of the politics of koalas has now become of the politics of cynicism.

There is good reason for that.

Those who have observed koala politics in the Redlands for the past 25 years or so will know that it has been an uphill battle. Saving a 5.6 ha block that the State Government relinquished last week would have been seen as a significant breakthrough.

The fact that some people don't see that today reflects on the track record of previous governments (both parties) who spoke more about koala habitat protection than actually securing on-the-ground habitat conservation.

The failures of the past cannot be overturned. Redlands has developed according to the prevailing wisdom of the time.

Some people will find the result acceptable or even desirable. Others will ponder what could have been?

The State Government can't redress what has been done to koala habitat.

Anything that it does know will only highlight what has been lost.

The impact of new policy strategies will take a decade or more to assess.

The State government needs to accept that politics of koalas will be the politics of cynicism until the balance is restored.