An increase in funding from the State Government towards employment of more Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers, has been welcomed by Member for Hill Shane Knuth.

The State Government yesterday announced applications were now open to employ 46 new indigenous rangers, to meet the government’s $24 million commitment to raise numbers from 100 to 200.

Currently 154 Indigenous Rangers are employed through 37 Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger teams across Queensland.

“The KAP have been calling for an increase in indigenous rangers for a number of years as part of an overall strategy to combat feral pests, particularly pigs in National and State parks,” Mr Knuth said.

“I have spoken with quite a few indigenous rangers. They are very passionate about their work and delivering on country programs.

“I thank the minister for meeting one of the government’s election promises, however this is just the start of what is required.”

Knuth said the Federal Government’s recent announcement that culling of feral animals were being ramped up, as populations had gone “through the roof” since aerial culls were halted in Kakadu National Park in 2019, is indicative of the issue faced in rural and regional Queensland, where feral pig populations are heavily concentrated.

“We know that we have been significantly lacking in ranger numbers to combat this severe issue head on and this announcement goes part of the way to targeting the threat feral pigs pose, however, much more needs to be done,” he said.

“We have 130,000km²of National and State parks in Queensland, which takes up almost 7.5 per cent of the total land area in the state, yet we have been severely undermanned, underfunded and held back by bureaucratic red tape, when it comes to dealing with feral pests.”

Mr Knuth said the KAP has fully backed recreational hunters to be able to apply for permits to access national and state parks.

The KAP has also lobbied for bounty and aerial pig shooting programs, farmers to access grants and in addition a substantial increase in funding for more indigenous rangers to combat feral pigs.

“While this is good news, we need to further increase numbers and implement the additional strategies put forward by the KAP to help eradicate feral pests.”

Knuth welcomes increase to ranger numbers