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As I write this piece we are exactly one week away from delivery of the Federal Budget. Federal Government funding is the backbone of contemporary Ranger and Indigenous Protected Area work on Country. Working with your support, we have effectively ensured that funding for both Rangers and IPAs is growing.
Keeping the Pressure On
While we don’t expect any surprises in this budget we will be keeping the pressure on, and rumours of cuts to other funding streams that our partners use to care for Country are worrying. Take the ‘Saving our Species’ funding - targeted funding, that addresses key impacts to threatened species in a strategic and carefully applied way, in many cases through direct collaboration with Traditional Owners, Indigenous Rangers and IPA workers. This is what Australians want. We want to see collaboration to protect the beauty of our landscapes and seascapes and the flora and fauna they support.
We know that having Traditional Owners with cultural connection at the centre of management makes sense.
Rangers Expand but Practical Government Support Needed
Over the last year the number of Indigenous Ranger teams has, because of your support for our advocacy at CNP, grown significantly. Right now, new and expanded ranger teams are being set up nationwide, now representing around 300 Indigenous Ranger teams. It’s a delicate time, we need to set these groups up for success not failure. We aren’t seeing the ongoing structural and implementation support that ranger host organisations need at a practical level being supplied by funding agencies.
There are not enough specialist agency staff with the sole focus of strengthening the operations of Ranger teams on the ground. Working on Country is challenging - there are new things to navigate, like a possible impending fuel crisis - see the comments in this story by our friends at KJ Martu in Western Australia for example.
Working with Partners
Despite these constraints we have been out around the country working with partners, with visits to the Mt Gambier region, Coffs Harbour, Armidale, the Pilbara and further afield.
We were really pleased to be invited to some milestones for our partner groups. Namely the wonderful Ulladulla Land Council in NSW who has just launched their new Ranger team on the NSW south coast.
Across the country we also attended the celebration by the Yawuru people of 20 years of Native Title. A win that they have managed to turn into a positive story for Broome and surrounds with their creation of a ranger team, becoming joint managers of a marine park in Roebuck Bay on their Country, and continuing to manage their Indigenous Protected Area. It was good while there to catch up with Kimberley Land Council who have been a stalwart of caring for Country work in the Kimberley.
First Sea Country Indigenous Protected Area
We also give a big shout out to our friends at Karrajarri Rangers for launching their Sea Country Indigenous Protected Area in March after a lot of hard work. Significantly, this is the first Sea Country Indigenous Protected Area to be dedicated, with more on the way.
There is much more to tell and much more to do. Thanks as always for your support - we couldn’t do it without you.
Team Farewell
Finally and sadly we will be farewelling our indefatigable Operations Manager Indra Esguerra in May as she takes the next steps on a new journey, and welcoming a new Operations Manager in June. Indra has been a key part of the growth of our CNP team for almost five years - building systems and processes to keep our work on land and sea strong. We’ll be keeping in touch and I know you’ll join us in wishing her all the best for the next steps where she’ll no doubt be building on her long career of working to make our world a saner and better place for all.
Bon Voyage Indra!
-Paddy O'Leary, CEO Country Needs People
We pay our respects to all the First Nations people around Australia and their unbroken commitment to keep Country strong on land and sea. We acknowledge Indigenous partners, Traditional Owners, Elders past, present and emerging and extend our appreciation of their support and guidance of our daily work.
