- Australia's northern coast is copping mountains of plastic waste from our own shores, international waters and foreign fishing boats
- First Nations Rangers are on the frontline, cleaning up 140,000 kg of ocean pollution and 800 ghost fishing nets, but funding will run dry this month
- Over 20 First Nations, environmental, scientific and political groups have come together to sign a letter to the federal Environment Minister calling for continued Ghost Nets Initiative funding
The Albanese Government has spent last week at the UN Oceans Conference (UNOC) in France highlighting how vital it is to save our oceans from the scourge of plastic pollution, but back home First Nations communities are about to run out of funding to clean ghost nets and other plastic pollution off Australia's northern shores.
A $14.8 million funding package provided over four years through Parks Australia's Ghost Nets Initiative is due to end on 30 June 2025, with no commitment from the Australian Government for this program to continue despite strong results and much more work to be done. This initiative builds on a 20-year legacy of the GhostNets Australia program run in partnership with the Australian Government.
AMCS Plastics Campaign Manager Cip Hamilton said: "The Australian Government has been speaking grandly about the need to protect our oceans at the UN Oceans Conference in the French seaside town of Nice, saying it is tackling issues like ghost nets. Back at home, northern Australia's remote communities are being inundated with plastic pollution, including hundreds of ghost nets, and are about to run out of funding to continue their essential removal work. The Australian Government must put its money where its mouth is to protect our coastlines, marine life and remote communities from ocean plastic pollution.
"Remote northern communities are on the frontline of the global plastic pollution crisis. Places like Arnhem Land are in the crosshairs of ocean currents that carry ghost nets from foreign fishing vessels as well as all manner of other plastic pollution from here at home and overseas.
"Today, we join 20 First Nations, scientific, political, and environmental groups in signing a letter to the newly elected Albanese Government. We call for continued funding to support the Ghost Nets Initiative beyond June 2025, ensuring Indigenous Rangers and their communities can continue their leadership in coastal conservation.
"The Australian Marine Conservation Society welcomes the Australian Government's membership to the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and last year's $1.4 million commitment to support regional action in the Arafura and Timor Seas. The Albanese Government has also reaffirmed its commitment to help drive the finalisation of a strong Global Plastics Treaty.
"These initiatives are imperative to cut the constant stream of ghost nets and other plastic pollution that is inundating Australia's oceans, but will take time to start having an impact. Until the tidal wave of ocean plastic pollution ceases, work must continue to protect the sacred coastlines of northern Australia."
Sea Shepherd Remote Marine Debris Campaigner Grahame Lloyd said: "The program has provided many benefits for Australia and its remote northern communities. It has supported 24 Ranger groups and nine dedicated coordinators, and provided a massive environmental benefit, removing more than 140,000 kg of marine debris and 800 ghost nets from Sea Country, safeguarding marine ecosystems and wildlife. Indigenous Rangers also provide a first line of defence for Australia, ensuring there are eyes and ears on the water to intercept foreign incursions and notify authorities of biosecurity threats."
Dhimurru Leadership team (Yolngu Coordinators) said: "For over two decades, Dhimurru Rangers have been removing ghost nets and marine debris from Yolŋu Sea Country - not for recognition, but because it is our cultural responsibility. The ocean is our law, our food, our stories, and our future. When plastic floods our coastline, it damages more than the environment, it damages who we are.
"The Ghost Net Initiative has supported our work but, without continued funding, this burden will fall back on already stretched communities. If the Australian Government is serious about protecting oceans, it must continue walking with us - not just in words at global conferences, but in action on the ground.
"Don't let the tide of plastic rise while the support for Rangers disappears. Fund the frontline. Fund the future."
Kirsten Eden, Land & Sea Manager Anindilyakwa Land Council said: "Indigenous Ranger groups across the Top End are increasingly recognised as vital frontline defenders of Australia's natural heritage, working tirelessly on Country and for Country. Among their most pressing challenges is the relentless influx of marine debris and ghost nets, an environmental crisis that shows no signs of slowing.
"Over the past three years alone, the Anindilyakwa Land & Sea Rangers have removed more than 22 tonnes of foreign fishing nets and plastic waste from once-pristine stretches of coastline areas previously considered untouched. This extraordinary effort underscores both the scale of the problem and the critical role Indigenous Rangers play in safeguarding these fragile ecosystems.
"However, without sustained government investment in these essential programs, Indigenous Ranger groups will be unable to keep pace with the growing tide of plastic pollution threatening our protected coastal regions. This is not a diminishing issue, it is an escalating one, and continued support is not just beneficial, it is imperative."
The following Ranger Groups received funds for the Indigenous Rangers Coastal Clean-up Project (IRCCP): Aak Puul Ngantam, Adjumarllarl, Anindilyakwa, Apudthama, Crocodile Island, Dhimurru, Gangalidda - Garawa, Garngi, Gumurr Marthakal, Karajarri, Kowanyama, Li-anthawirriyara, Mapoon, Mardbalk, Nanum Wungthim, Normanton, Numburindi, Nyangumarta, Pormpuraaw, Thamarrurr, Tiwi, Wellesley Island, Yirralka, Yugul Mangi.
