Tanya Plibersek says it is time for the government to remedy the “chronic underfunding” of Australia’s national parks to give threatened species a fighting chance of survival.
The commonwealth’s national parks include Booderee National Park and the World Heritage-listed Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuṯa National Parks, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, and a network of 60 Australian marine parks.
In a statement on Wednesday, the environment and water minister said the funding boost would help address broken infrastructure, out-of-date equipment, and facilities that had been left to dwindle for nearly a decade.
The extra money will be delivered over four years and is in addition to existing funding arrangements. It will expand conservation activities and cultural heritage management.
“The government’s investment will address critical infrastructure needs, including updating unsafe equipment, fixing inadequate signage, providing essential ranger housing, and refurbishing rundown facilities like the Kakadu Aboriginal Cultural Centre,” Plibersek said.
The money will also be invested in programs such as the Australian National Botanic Gardens’ national seed bank, and create at least 110 new jobs.
“[This includes] new roles for Traditional Owners to work on Country and new positions to ensure safety and deliver major projects,” Plibersek said.
The minister said the multi-million dollar investment, among the first early announcements to be made ahead of next month’s Budget, was part of Labor’s attempt at “cleaning up the mess” left behind by Scott Morrison’s government.
Since taking office last May, Labor has tripled the amount of national parks funding delivered by the Coalition.
“These natural treasures should be a source of national pride, but instead they are falling apart,” Plibersek said.
“This is another example of addressing the legacy of cruel neglect left by the previous government. In 2019 the Liberals and Nationals promised $276 million for Kakadu but delivered just $17 million,” she said.
Pointing to a roof that was “peeling off” the station of the Kakadu Jim Jim Rangers’, and roofs of the shelters at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park that were falling apart, Plibersek said housing for staff in the harsh desert heat was not up to scratch.
She also slammed the “mismanagement and neglect” of national parks under the former Coalition government, which saw inadequate funding of programs to protect threatened species and eradicate invasive species.
“This puts at risk the safety of staff and visitors, and compromises the ability to protect some of our most precious places, and the plants and animals that call them home,” Plibersek said.
“Shockingly, two of Australia’s most recent extinctions happened in our national parks.
“We want to better protect our precious places and better support those who manage them, so they can be enjoyed for generations to come,” she added.
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