MEDIA RELEASE
10 June, 2026
National Call for Federal Ranger Program to Deliver Fit-for-Purpose Indigenous Ranger & IPA Budgets and Support in Face of Rising Costs
As cost pressures nationally increase, Country Needs People is calling on the Federal Government to ensure that funding for direct operational support for Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) is available and fit-for-purpose so Traditional Owners and their organisations can meet rising costs, sustain on-Country delivery and deliver good land and sea management.
Across our national network, feedback shows that Rangers and IPAs are operating in increasingly challenging conditions. Costs for vehicles, fuel, accommodation, ranger bases, facilities, equipment and organisational staffing are rising, while host organisations are under growing pressure to carry the operational load and infrastructure needed to keep teams working effectively on Country.
These pressures come as communities are already stretched and land managers prepare for potentially hotter, drier conditions later this year if El Niño develops. Many ranger teams are finding it hard to get funding for key items like ranger bases, utility or 4WD vehicles and boats, accommodation in remote areas and key organisational staffing. Some IPAs are still in planning with no guaranteed ranger teams on completion, while some existing IPAs have no ranger teams at all or not enough to meet management needs.
“IPAs make up more than 54% of Australia’s National Reserve System and carry complex, ongoing management responsibilities”, says Country Needs People CEO Patrick O’Leary. “Across both Ranger and IPA programs we need NIAA to talk to DCCEEW to ensure there is proper coordination of resources into grassroots organisations supporting the practical needs of groups for important land and sea management like Ranger and IPA work. ”
“It’s challenging times across Australia right now”, says Euahlayi man and Country Needs People Chair Bhiamie Williamson. “Ranger teams must have access to the practical resources and operational support that allow them to do their jobs. This requires the government to meet their commitments and ensure that funding and resources flow to where they need to be, and where the government has promised they would go.”
“We have to make sure funding commitments are delivered so that they are practical for frontline groups. Not doing so undermines confidence in the sector and risks setting up groups to fail.”
“You can see the operational stretch on the ranger and IPA budgets across Australia”, said Nathan Brennan, Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung, Gamilaraay man and Senior Ranger Support at Country Needs People. “The on-ground organisations need to be able to access and retain funding to ensure that both Rangers and IPAs’ on-ground operations are sustainable, and can deliver better outcomes for nature, culture and community.”
“It’s important that the long-term viability, integrity and practical operational capability of the work of Rangers and IPAs and the actual delivery of work on the ground and through their host organisations is a priority in these decisions”, says Country Needs People CEO Patrick O’Leary.
Country Needs People is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organisation working with 51 Indigenous partners to grow, strengthen and advocate for Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Areas across Australia.
Quotes from Organisations Delivering or Supporting On-Ground Operations:
Kimberley Land Council (WA - Kimberley): “Kimberley Land Council supports a large range of organisations through our Kimberley Ranger network, including Indigenous Protected Areas. Those organisations, and ourselves as a key regional support organisation, typically struggle to get the core needs like buildings, vehicles, equipment and program staff properly funded. Particularly in the face of rising costs. So it’s key the Federal Government ensures the ability to directly fund those on-ground needs”. - Ty Garstone, CEO Kimberley Land Council.
Yindjibarndi Group (WA - Pilbara): “Yindjibarndi are working hard to build a capacity for sustainable management on Country in the Pilbara. Ranger teams and Indigenous Protected Areas are absolutely key to that, and we need to ensure they’re operationally supported, we need to be out on country doing active management”. -Michael Woodley, CEO Yindjibarndi Group.
Dulabed Malanbarra Yidinji (QLD): “We are building our capability on Country. We have a way to go but one of the key things is that the operational funds we have to deliver practical work are often very hard to come by. So we’re very keen to see that overall funding is practically available for typical operational needs to the Ranger or IPA host organisations. That’s going to be key.” -Jasmine Clubb, Executive Officer Dulabed Malanbarra Yidjinji Aboriginal Corporation.
Ngana Malngkanichi Pama (QLD): “Umpila IPA is in a really remote and hard to access area but the Country is of extremely high value both for biodiversity and culturally. We need basic infrastructure on Country to help us access and work safely there, we need equipment and vehicles that can withstand tough terrain. That operational capability is not always covered properly in our funding, or it’s hard to access for bureaucratic reasons. This is the reality for Umpila. It’s the practical element that helps us keep mob on Country and working effectively.” -Sharon Prior, IPA Coordinator, Umpila IPA, Ngana Malngkanichi Pama (CNCRM) Aboriginal Corporation.
KJ Martu (WA): “Our teams work on very remote Country, managing biodiversity and cultural values, delivering fire management over large areas, feral animal control, and more. It’s hard on people and equipment. With the escalating costs of living, inflation, fuel, it's putting more pressure on our operational budgets that are already stretched. We need to keep funding focussed on the practical needs of protecting Country and providing critical employment pathways that our ranger program delivers.” -Tim Schneider, General Manager Country and Culture Programs, Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa (KJ).
Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (WA): We’re putting a lot of effort into strengthening our Ranger teams and developing our Indigenous Protected Area. But cost pressures are very hard to manage, we are stretched thin. Things like dedicated marine vessels for Sea Country work and emergency response, 4WD vehicles and utility vehicles to support land and sea management, ranger base facilities and operational workspaces, secure storage and basic accommodation facilities for remote operations. Then just general costs like fuel, wage growth, consideration of remote expenses.” -Gail Reynolds-Adamson, Director, Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation.
Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation (VIC): “We have key operational needs that are hard to fund. Our boat is over 20 years old and leaky, we need that to do wetlands and on-water work. Basic upgrades of our operations depot to make it more useable, general operational tools, and safety equipment. We need funding to be directly available for things like this here and elsewhere across our work.” -Jason Walker, Executive Manager, Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation.
Ngiyambandigay Wajaarr Aboriginal Corporation (NSW – Coffs Harbour): “We’re developing an Indigenous Protected Area here that covers land and sea. We take our responsibilities seriously, and we certainly have a tight operational budget. Rising operational cost pressures on groups like ours in the sector need to be addressed to strengthen our on-land and on-sea capability so we can manage Country better for everyone’s benefit. -Katrina Widders, CEO, Ngiyambandigay Wajaarr Aboriginal Corporation.
Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council (NSW – Bega): “On the South Coast there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm around developing our Ranger work and caring for Country. We are still building our team and our capability, but the costs of all our equipment and basic operations are rising. We want to build a lasting capability here that can look after our region into the future for everyone’s benefit. So we need operational funding to be practically available for this kind of work done by grassroots organisations like ours.” -Leanne Atkinson, CEO, Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAS): “Our work includes a lot of management on islands and around Sea Country which is logistically challenging. We’ve been delivering good results but it’s getting harder as operational costs rise but operational budgets don’t rise at the same rate. We are rapidly building very capable and professional culturally based community led institutions that rely on more than just Ranger numbers. The infrastructure, asset and complex organisational needs required to develop our community capability needs greater recognition. When we do that, everyone benefits.” -Andry Sculthorpe, Division Manager, Country and Culture, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
Photo: Gumbaynggirr Sea Rangers, NSW. Photo: Annette Ruzicka.
