WORKING WITH STATE & TERRITORY GOVERNMENTS

Country Needs People has been actively encouraging State and Territory governments to support Indigenous land and sea management

By developing their own programs and augmenting existing federal investment in Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) state and territory governments can ensure there is strong, successful Indigenous land and sea management in their region. To date there has been strong buy-in from the Queensland and Western Australian governments, which now have their own dedicated programs to support community-based efforts to care for Country.

Funding for job, projects and infrastructure

QLD - In 2021-22 the Queensland Government responded to Country Needs People's advocacy for doubling the number of community-based ranger jobs  by providing adding 54 new ranger jobs across 13 organisations, creating a total of 200 positions across 47 separate local ranger groups. Many of these were the first-ever ranger positions on Country for those Traditional Owner-led groups, including our partner network as well as beyond. The Queensland Indigenous Land & Sea Ranger Program is now recognised as setting a benchmark for better practice, supporting 200 ranger positions in Indigenous-run organisations. Importantly, QLD has a dedicated ranger support unit within the key state environment agency, they offer small caring for Country grants, and are investing over $27 million per year into maintaining and expanding this work.

WA - Western Australia runs a substantial grants program to support the work of Indigenous Rangers and this was recently extended for another four years totalling over $80 million in new funding.

NT - The Northern Territory until recently ran a highly valued and effective grants program for Indigenous-managed projects and infrastructure, for eight years. Country Needs People is working to restore this funding which was promised by the incoming government in the 2024 election but not delivered.

Country Needs People continues to encourage all states and territories to introduce and strengthen their own programs to support Indigenous Rangers and on-Country activities, given the high value outcomes. We do this by advocacy to key decision makers, enlisting our tens of thousands of supporters in state-based campaigns and organising events such as forums and workshops.

Strengthening ILSM - spotlight on Queensland

Queensland began to implement a state-funded, community based Indigenous Ranger program back in 2007.  When Country Needs People first began to engage with the QLD government they had not reached their stated target of creating 100 Indigenous Ranger jobs across the state. 

In 2017 our petition campaign pushed the state government to meet its own targets of 100 rangers which was delivered in the next term of government.  In the lead up to the 2020 QLD Election Country Needs People ran a campaign to engage thousands of Queenslanders in calling for a doubling of the QLD Indigenous Ranger Program jobs by adding an additional 100 positions.  Together with our Queensland Indigenous Partner groups we met with the QLD Minister of the day and made representations across the parliament to all parties. Many thousands of Queenslanders signed our petition which went to all parties and candidates calling for a doubling of Rangers. Along with media interviews and coverage catalysed by our work, both CNP and our partners were able to voice the value of investing in Rangers. 

The result was that after the 2020 election the new Labor Government implemented a doubling of Ranger jobs which has now been delivered, creating many first-time opportunities for local traditional owner groups to create Ranger jobs on Country. This means over 200 well supported jobs across 47 Traditional Owner run organisations in Queensland.