Indigenous Policy Gets a Huge Makeover

The future of aboriginal communities is looking bright: the Australian government is pledging billions of dollars over the next five years to massively reform its Indigenous policy, a decision aimed at safeguarding Australia’s unique environment and culture for future generations.

“The Morrison government has embarked on one of the most ambitious Indigenous policy reform agendas, focusing on empowering Indigenous Australians, creating jobs, building skills, and unlocking the economic potential of Indigenous land,” says Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt. “Today, we are announcing a number of new initiatives on top of an expanded Indigenous advancement strategy, which now sits at $6.7 billion over the forward estimates.”

With funding running until 2027, the Indigenous ranger program will double, creating 1,000 full-time equivalent workers, and 88 additional ranger groups with incentives to attract more women and youngsters to the profession. The federal government employs rangers to protect marine turtles from predators during the laying season, monitor illegal fishing, and conduct low-intensity burns to regenerate natural habitats, among other things. As for the environment, investments will be made to protect threatened species and restore habitats. From a societal point of view, money will be injected to allow some 1,600 Indigenous families to gain access to loans to either enter the housing market or build their own homes.