Environment Minister Stephen Dawson, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt and Women's Interests Minister Simone McGurk have today announced the successful recipients of the McGowan Government's Aboriginal Ranger Program Round Three.
The announcement was made this morning at Kooljaman on the Dampier Peninsula with the Bardi Jawi and Nyul women rangers, who will use the funding to protect threatened monsoon vine thickets.
Round Three funding will see successful recipients sharing in over $4.7 million across 10 projects to undertake land and sea management including conservation, cultural, tourism and education activities.
This funding will enable the creation 73 casual and full-time jobs and more than 100 training opportunities for Aboriginal people in regional and remote communities.
It has followed funding of almost $16 million over the first two rounds of the program.
Under the program, existing and emerging Aboriginal organisations can employ and train rangers to carry out land and sea management and tourism activities across a range of tenures in remote and regional Western Australia.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"A lot of fantastic work has already been undertaken by successful applicants from rounds one and two, with many rangers being trained in fire management, cultural site management and biodiversity monitoring and research.
"This program is directly supporting training opportunities to help Aboriginal rangers further develop skills in conservation and land management, which in turn helps build community resilience and leadership.
"The McGowan Government is committed to working with traditional owners across a range of tenures through enhanced engagement and partnerships, and the Aboriginal Ranger Program and Plan for Our Parks initiatives are the cornerstones of this commitment."
As stated by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt:
"The Aboriginal Rangers Program is delivering economic and social benefits for regional and remote areas by providing job and training opportunities for Aboriginal people.
"Insights from the first two rounds of the program show participants have an increased sense of self, personal pride and purpose.
"It has enabled rangers to build connections between communities and has created strong networking opportunities.
"So far the program has resulted in the employment of over 300 Aboriginal people, 53 per cent who are women, and 290 training opportunities across 25 projects."
As stated by Women's Interests Minister Simone McGurk:
"The Aboriginal Ranger Program has employed over 300 people, 53 per cent who are women, and this round alone will see the employment of 39 women rangers.
"By creating more opportunities across Western Australia, the program is empowering Aboriginal women to manage country and helping build community leadership, wellbeing and resilience."
