$120 million to support local community Landcare projects
Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce MP
Minister for Environment, Greg Hunt MP
20 May 2015
Australian Government reforms to the regional stream of the National Landcare Programme are hitting the mark with funding flowing directly to local community environmental and agricultural projects.
The reforms announced late last year ensure at least 20 per cent of the Australian Government’s investment of over $450 million in sustainable agriculture and environmental rehabilitation is directed towards community engagement and on-ground activities undertaken by community groups, including Landcare.
Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, and Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, today commended the way in which Australia’s 56 natural resource management organisations have embraced the changes to the National Landcare Programme.
“Together our natural resource management organisations have committed over $120 million for community natural resource management activities, including projects run by Landcare groups, as part of the Government’s commitment to supporting regional landcare in Australia,” Minister Hunt said.
“This amount is considerably more than 20 per cent of regional funding and speaks volumes for the ingenuity and creativity of our farmers, Landcare and other community groups in developing viable and practical long-term land management solutions based on local priorities,” Minister Hunt said.
“Farmers, landcarers and community groups know what works best for their farms, their local landscape and their community,” Minister Joyce said.
“Before making any changes to the National Landcare Programme we listened closely to the views of the natural resource management community, and one of the clear themes that emerged was the need for investment in on-ground community-based projects.
“Natural resource management organisations play a pivotal role in helping communities to identify priorities for environmental action and sustainable agriculture in their local area.”
“We are helping communities to deliver simple, local and long-term solutions to improve their local environment. This is proof positive that the Government is meeting its commitment to putting landcare back at the centre of natural resource management in Australia,” Minister Hunt said.
“In its new form, the National Landcare Programme contributes to positive long-term outcomes for productive land and the environment,” Minister Joyce said
“It also enables communities to identify local priorities and develop on-ground solutions to local issues and it provides long-term surety of investment for regional organisations.
“It is a key driver in delivering on the Government’s commitment to support productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of Australia’s primary industries, and good management of natural resources,” Minister Joyce said.
The National Landcare Programme along with complementary programmes such as Green Army and 20 Million Trees brings the Australian Government’s total investment in natural resource management to over $2 billion over four years.
For more information about the National Landcare Programme go to www.nrm.gov.au