CLP matches Labor promise of $12m over four years to Aboriginal Rangers program
The Territory’s network of rangers who spend their lives on the water, out bush and caring for country could be in financial limbo. Here’s why a $12m funding pledge could provide four-years of security.
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UPDATE, 3pm Monday: The Territory’s front line protecting land and sea country has been granted critical post-election security after both sides of politics said they would match a $12m commitment to the Aboriginal Rangers program.
On Monday the Country Liberal Party confirmed it would match Labor’s commitment to provide $12m to Aboriginal Ranger programs over the next four-years, giving the 47 groups across the Territory security ahead of the election.
The bipartisan funding commitment brings the program out of limbo, three months after Country Needs People launched its petition calling for clarity for the program which was facing a funding cliff after mid-2025.
Country Needs People chief executive Paddy O’Leary welcomed the election campaign funding announcement from Labor following their announcement.
“Rangers are out there tackling some of the biggest pressures on the Territory environment like reducing feral animal impact, controlling invasive weeds, protecting threatened species, applying strategic fire management, safeguarding cultural sites and more,” Mr O’Leary said.
He said the funding would have a direct positive impact on Country from the deserts to the tropical coast, with rangers able to invest in practical items like quad bikes, weed eradication equipment, work sheds, training and skills development and research and monitoring.
Parks and Rangers Minister Selena Uibo’s promise to provide the program an average of $3m a year until 2029 was quickly matched by the CLP on Monday.
“I can confirm we will match this commitment for ranger funding,” a CLP spokesman said hours after the Labor announcement.
INITIAL, 5am Monday: Labor has made a $12m pledge to secure Aboriginal Ranger Grants funding for the next four years if re-elected to government.
Parks and Rangers Minister Selena Uibo confirmed the continuation of funding to the Aboriginal Rangers program under a future Labor Government on Monday.
“Aboriginal Rangers have a lot of responsibilities, but one of the most important roles is maintaining cultural knowledge and being leaders in our community,” Ms Uibo said.
The Territory’s 47 Aboriginal rangers groups are involved in fire management, controlling feral animals and weeds, mapping cultural heritage sites and tracking endangered species numbers, protecting fish stocks from poachers, removing ghost nets and other plastics, and helping with research programs.
The $3m a year announcement would secure the program’s funding until June 31, 2029.
This would be a continuation of the past eight years of four-year funding announcements — without any increase for inflation — with $12.1 m secured in 2017 and a further $11.9m in 2021.
Ms Uibo said the Territory commitment added capacity to federal funding to ranger programs.
On May 16, Country for People launched a petition to pressure politicians into keeping the NT government’s Aboriginal Ranger Grants program post election.
In response CLP Namatjira MLA Bill Yan did not directly comment on whether the party would continue the grants program but said they would work to increase resources for Aboriginal rangers.
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