Ranger groups furious as CLP breaks $12m election promise

A group representing Indigenous rangers says funding must be restored in the Northern Territory as a matter of integrity, after $12m was missing from the budget despite an election promise.

The CLP has broken an election promise and cut funding to the NT Aboriginal Ranger Grants program. Photographer: Annette Ruzicka/Country Needs People

A group representing Aboriginal rangers says funding must be restored in the Northern Territory as a matter of integrity, after the government axed a grants program despite promising it was safe.

Going into the Territory election last year, both sides of politics explicitly promised $12m over four years for the NT Aboriginal Ranger Grants program.

However Tuesday’s budget cut all funding to the program, which provides support to ranger groups to care for their land through training, equipment and infrastructure.

Country Needs People chief executive Patrick O’Leary. Picture: Country Needs People

“Cutting this funding – which has run successfully for many years – doesn’t just affect one ranger, it impacts their whole community, and it breaks a promise to every Territorian,” Country Needs People chief executive Patrick O’Leary said.

“Indigenous ranger jobs are one of the most positive initiatives happening right around the Territory, and throughout most of remote Australia.

“Investing in people through creating local jobs is one of the huge benefits of this work.

“We call on Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Treasurer Bill Yan to rebuild their integrity and act now to restore this money to the budget, as they promised unconditionally before the election.”

Asked about the cuts in Question Time this week, Environment Minister Joshua Burgoyne said the previous NT budget never included ongoing funding for the program, with last year’s money set to expire in June.

“Just like Mother Hubbard when she went to the cupboard, when the Treasurer went to the cupboard to look at where this funding was, it was not there,” he said.

“Just spend more and more was Labor’s answer. That is not what the Finocchiaro CLP government are doing. We are ensuring that we are making responsible decisions to get the budget under control.

“The Aboriginal ranger groups, to be clear, receive funding from the commonwealth government and will continue to do so.”

The Central Land Council has also condemned the government.

Central Land Council chair Warren Williams. Picture: Central Land Council

“The CLP has betrayed our trust and puts jobs, cultural knowledge and land management at risk,” chair Warren Williams said.

“This is a slap in the face to the rangers who are out there managing country on the smell of an oily rag, protecting sacred sites and fighting fires in some of the most remote areas of the Territory.

“Aboriginal ranger programs benefit all Territorians – from tackling feral pests to reducing carbon emissions – and the government’s broken promise puts this work and these jobs in jeopardy.”

“This broken promise hits especially hard in communities where ranger jobs are among the few opportunities for meaningful, culturally appropriate work.”

Originally published as Ranger groups furious as CLP breaks $12m election promise