Rangers back pledge for training funds

Bardi Jawi Rangers has backed an election pledge by Labor Leader Mark McGowan to train more indigenous people to follow in their footsteps.

Mr McGowan’s $4 million promise to extend the successful indigenous ranger program was this week welcomed by the Bardi Jawi crew which is based at One Arm Point on the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome.

Head ranger Philip “Bibido” McCarthy said the program gave young people an opportunity to work their country, especially young people with low literacy and numeracy skills.

“Young kids in communities struggling throughout the Kimberley – when they get a job they seem to light up, they become role models for other young people who say ‘I want to be like them’,” he said while in Broome last week.

“Some of these young people have never owned anything and having this job gives them pride.

“They get training and support and they become important contributors in their community.”

Mr McCarthy said more money for ranger programs was “good for kids, our community and for the country” and could lead to women joining the ranks as well.

“It’s much better and cheaper then putting people in jail when they go down that wrong path and get in trouble,” he said.

“I recently travelled to Canada and spoke to their First Nations people and they think these programs are the way to go to keep their young people out of jail too.

“We could start a woman’s ranger program to get all young women involved too.”

“It also just gives us more opportunity to get more rangers on board and this make a difference to the whole community. The only other option for many young people is (fly-in, fly-out) work but that takes them away from their families and often means there is no one taking care of their old people at home, providing traditional foods for the weeks they are away.”

Mr McArthy said rangers had knowledge and skills that could not be replaced by workers from government departments.

“We have worked with the Department of Environment and Conservation, FESA, universities and environmental groups working on biological studies, surveys, fire management, weed management and tagging,” he said “Rangers bring that strong local knowledge — our people have lived on this country for a long time.

“We know where the water is, where the animals are, what the seasons are up here and you can’t beat that local knowledge.”

The Bardi Jawi Rangers was established in 2006 to manage Bardi and Jawi land-and-sea country to help sustain traditional owners’ livelihoods and connection to country.

The rangers manage more than 250km of coastline and 340,700ha land.