WA Labor to fund major expansion of Aboriginal Ranger Program

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest $20 million to expand the highly successful Aboriginal Ranger Program.
  • Re-elected Cook Labor Government to invest $20 million in expansion of the highly successful Aboriginal Ranger Program
  • Program benefits the environment, creates on-Country jobs and supports regional tourism
  • Expansion part of WA Labor's plan to boost employment opportunities in regional WA

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest $20 million to expand the highly successful Aboriginal Ranger Program.

Originally a 2017 WA Labor election commitment, the Aboriginal Ranger Program is an on-Country ranger program delivering jobs, training and community development opportunities for Aboriginal people in regional and remote communities across Western Australia.

The program helps Aboriginal organisations employ and train Aboriginal people as rangers, coordinators and other management and support staff.

It is responsible for actively managing almost 80,000 hectares, including 2,588 kilometres of tracks, and has created more than 1,400 on-Country jobs to date. Around 45 per cent of those jobs have been taken up by women.

Significant land and sea planning and management outcomes have also been delivered, with rangers undertaking biodiversity monitoring, fire management, cultural site management, feral animal and weed management, guided Welcome to Country tours for visitors and other activities.

The Aboriginal Ranger Program is already delivering practical differences on the ground for indigenous communities, with the WA Labor Government investing $100 million in it since 2017.

Comment attributed to Environment Minister Reece Whitby:

“The Aboriginal Ranger Program is already delivering enormous social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits on the ground in regional and remote WA."

“This $20 million expansion is part of WA Labor's plan to work with Traditional Owners and deliver for all Western Australians, including employment opportunities for Aboriginal people."

“A re-elected WA Labor Government is committed to building on the work already undertaken to deliver meaningful Aboriginal employment working closely with local communities."

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