❓ The Minister for Environment outlines the Department of Parks and Wildlife's programs supporting Aboriginal employment and joint management in natural asset management, highlighting partnerships with traditional owner groups and training initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 506Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE — ABORIGINAL EMPLOYMENT AND
NATURAL ASSET MANAGEMENT
506. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for Environment:
Can the minister please update the house on which programs
the Department of Parks and Wildlife has in place to support Aboriginal
employment and joint management initiatives in managing our natural assets?
NATURAL ASSET MANAGEMENT
506. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for Environment:
Can the minister please update the house on which programs
the Department of Parks and Wildlife has in place to support Aboriginal
employment and joint management initiatives in managing our natural assets?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Southern River for this question.
Many members of this chamber may not realise that the
Department of Parks and Wildlife is working with more than 21 traditional owner
groups across the state of Western Australia in conservation and land
management. Our work includes promoting employment and training opportunities
with these traditional owner groups and seeking the best possible outcome that
we can get for caring for country out in these places. Only a few days ago, the chairman of one of these groups raised a good
example with me. He said the programs bring together their cultural and
traditional knowledge, which is then partnered with the scientific knowledge
that the department can offer, to manage this land. The department also
provides training to their young people, which partners the scientific
knowledge with the cultural knowledge that has been passed on to them. One of
the first groups to join this program was the Miriuwung–Gajerrong people.
Currently, 10 Aboriginal rangers operate out of Kununurra. As at 1 July 2013,
63 Aboriginal staff work in the Department of Parks and Wildlife on
conservation and land management outcomes across Western Australia. This
includes 13 trainees currently completing either a certificate II, III or IV in
conservation and land management, as well as a number of school-based trainees
across the state. This program picks up young people as they go through their
last years in school. I had the opportunity to meet a couple of the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
school-based trainees. This program provides a fantastic opportunity for people
in remote and rural areas to pursue careers.
In the past decade,
86 trainees have graduated and found gainful employment, some within the department.
Some have pursued careers as park rangers with the now Department of Parks and
Wildlife, some have taken the skills they have picked up into the resource
industry or in other employment, and some have even started their own
enterprises. I met a fantastic young woman at Fitzroy Crossing. She works part
time with the department and is using her skills to start some enterprises on
the side. The department's wildlife ranger program partners with the Yawuru people in Broome, the Bunuba people in Fitzroy
Crossing and the Murujuga people in the Burrup Peninsular. This program can be
pursued either through joint vesting, joint management or cooperative
management. The Martu people in the Gibson Desert are a good example of
cooperative management. They help with the Lorna Glen project, which I have
previously addressed in this place. Other good examples can be found in places
such as the Pilbara and the Western Desert, where Aboriginal rangers employed
by the department provide a lot of good-quality advice based on their cultural
knowledge in fire management—an area in which the member for Girrawheen
has a lot of interest. This is knowledge the department did not have
previously. In addition, these rangers work on feral animal control and other
conservation projects. In only a few months I have met with the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
rangers —
The SPEAKER : Can you wind it up, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB : Yes, Mr Speaker.
I have met with
Bunuba, Yawuru and Martu
rangers.
Several opposition
members interjected.
Mr A.P. JACOB : I will finish, Mr Speaker. As the
government rolls out its conservation and biodiversity policy, members will see
a number of commitments on terrestrial and marine parks, many of which contain
native title areas. It will be clear as we roll out those commitments that we
will continue to expand these partnerships with traditional owner groups across
the state. This is a really good news story within the department.
Many members of this chamber may not realise that the
Department of Parks and Wildlife is working with more than 21 traditional owner
groups across the state of Western Australia in conservation and land
management. Our work includes promoting employment and training opportunities
with these traditional owner groups and seeking the best possible outcome that
we can get for caring for country out in these places. Only a few days ago, the chairman of one of these groups raised a good
example with me. He said the programs bring together their cultural and
traditional knowledge, which is then partnered with the scientific knowledge
that the department can offer, to manage this land. The department also
provides training to their young people, which partners the scientific
knowledge with the cultural knowledge that has been passed on to them. One of
the first groups to join this program was the Miriuwung–Gajerrong people.
Currently, 10 Aboriginal rangers operate out of Kununurra. As at 1 July 2013,
63 Aboriginal staff work in the Department of Parks and Wildlife on
conservation and land management outcomes across Western Australia. This
includes 13 trainees currently completing either a certificate II, III or IV in
conservation and land management, as well as a number of school-based trainees
across the state. This program picks up young people as they go through their
last years in school. I had the opportunity to meet a couple of the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
school-based trainees. This program provides a fantastic opportunity for people
in remote and rural areas to pursue careers.
In the past decade,
86 trainees have graduated and found gainful employment, some within the department.
Some have pursued careers as park rangers with the now Department of Parks and
Wildlife, some have taken the skills they have picked up into the resource
industry or in other employment, and some have even started their own
enterprises. I met a fantastic young woman at Fitzroy Crossing. She works part
time with the department and is using her skills to start some enterprises on
the side. The department's wildlife ranger program partners with the Yawuru people in Broome, the Bunuba people in Fitzroy
Crossing and the Murujuga people in the Burrup Peninsular. This program can be
pursued either through joint vesting, joint management or cooperative
management. The Martu people in the Gibson Desert are a good example of
cooperative management. They help with the Lorna Glen project, which I have
previously addressed in this place. Other good examples can be found in places
such as the Pilbara and the Western Desert, where Aboriginal rangers employed
by the department provide a lot of good-quality advice based on their cultural
knowledge in fire management—an area in which the member for Girrawheen
has a lot of interest. This is knowledge the department did not have
previously. In addition, these rangers work on feral animal control and other
conservation projects. In only a few months I have met with the Miriuwung–Gajerrong
rangers —
The SPEAKER : Can you wind it up, please.
Mr A.P. JACOB : Yes, Mr Speaker.
I have met with
Bunuba, Yawuru and Martu
rangers.
Several opposition
members interjected.
Mr A.P. JACOB : I will finish, Mr Speaker. As the
government rolls out its conservation and biodiversity policy, members will see
a number of commitments on terrestrial and marine parks, many of which contain
native title areas. It will be clear as we roll out those commitments that we
will continue to expand these partnerships with traditional owner groups across
the state. This is a really good news story within the department.
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