Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition government's Dugong and Turtle Protection Plan was an election commitment aimed at strengthening the compliance and enforcement powers of Indigenous rangers in North Queensland and the Torres Strait. The specialised Indigenous ranger program was created to provide full-time Indigenous compliance officers in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and in the Torres Strait Regional Authority. In addition, 20 Indigenous rangers will receive nationally accredited compliance training by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Upon successful completion of the training, the Indigenous rangers will be considered for appointment as marine park inspectors in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and I expect those appointments to be made. This program model could enable other Indigenous rangers to be appointed as compliance officers and undertake on-ground actions being tied into the relevant existing compliance framework and management regime. This will end the disparity where an Indigenous ranger somehow is different from some other sort of ranger because they lack compliance powers.