Queensland's former Liberal National Party government bought $2.4 million worth of land to protect one koala, it has been revealed.
A question from shadow environment minister Dr Christian Rowan backfired during Friday's budget estimates hearing after he attempted to expose a lack of new funding in the 2016 budget for koala habitat protection.
Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles said it took more than 18 months before the LNP's $22.5m habitat purchase program secured its first pocket of land - in predecessor Andrew Powell's seat of Glass House.
"First of all, it was not a requirement of that purchase program that there be any koalas on the property," he said.
"It turns out that the Glass House property currently has one koala, so for an investment of $2.4m of taxpayers' funds, the LNP has provided a home for one single but very, very lucky koala."
Dr Miles said the department was considering naming the marsupial Tim, after LNP leader Tim Nicholls, or Andrew, after Mr Powell.
"We would've been better off buying that koala a riverfront property in your electorate, Member for Moggill," he said.
Dr Rowan said koala conservation was a serious issue and slammed his Labor opponent over the "politicisation of such an iconic animal."
Dr Miles said all the money from the LNP's program was spent on land in LNP-held electorates.
Only one purchase was within the southeast Queensland koala habitat protection area, where koalas were most at threat, he said.
