The federal government's funding announcement for 1000 Indigenous rangers has been labelled a "massive boost" by organisations on the ground, who argue it is a direct result of lobbying for more ranger support.
On Thursday morning, Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and her Labor colleague, Senator Jana Stewart, announced a $355 million investment over four years for the Commonwealth Indigenous Rangers Program—the first time in more than a decade that new ranger groups will be able to apply to join the program.
Up to 770 of the positions will be filled by First Nations women.
Speaking at the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation's Narrap Rangers Depot on Wurundjeri Country, Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson said his ancestors on Coranderrk lands proved self-determination was "something that we could achieve in this new world that came to our lands".
"Unfortunately, back in those days we weren't allowed to achieve it through pretty much racist policies of the past," he told reporters.
"So, this is a great symbol that the country has evolved as a community and supporting Aboriginal people today in creating self-determination or decision making in the way that we see ourselves both now and moving forward into the future.
"It's a major positive and a very exciting time for Wurundjeri with our Narrap team."
Senator McCarthy said ranger programs are "a very strong part of selfâ€'determination".
"If I can speak personally…as Yanyuwa Garrwa woman, we have rangers up in the north," she said.
"We know that…in my language we call it the Li-Anthawirriyarra, where we know our spiritual origin comes from the sea country.
"That sense of empowerment of being able to continue to look after Country, learn from Country, live with Country, assists us with healthy minds, healthy bodies, healthy spirit and being able to pass that on in strength to our children."
Ms McCarthy said Rangers "are the guardians that look after our lands, our seas, our rivers".
"Our knowledge, our science goes back thousands of years and it's really important that broader Australia and broader society across the world sees and hears the knowledge of those who hold it so strongly on Country," she said.
The announcement was welcomed by national non-profit Country Needs People, with chief executive Patrick O'Leary saying the organisation had worked with their network of over 50 Indigenous-run partner groups across the country to "advocate for growing and securing Indigenous Ranger jobs for many years".
"This is a direct outcome of our work together including our equity target for women," he said.
Mr O'Leary said rangers "manage fire, tackle feral animals, control invasive weeds and protected threatened species on land and sea," as well as being uniquely placed to deliver improved cultural management of Country.
"Combining 65,000 years of ongoing presence, survival and understanding of Country with contemporary science and technology, this [is] an investment that benefits every Australian and that every Australian can be proud of," he said.
Urging caution, he stated: "This work is hard, it needs support for Ranger teams and their host organisations to be their most effective in often really challenging circumstances. That means adequate operational funding and adequate support for on-ground capability."
"We are placing a lot of expectation and potential stress and risk of burnout on community-based organisations, they are stepping up, so let's provide them with support to grow their resilience and capability."
