State Budget to deliver significant investment in Plan for Our Parks

• Plan for Our Parks supported by significant $73 million investment in 2024-25 State Budget
• More than 56 full-time, ongoing jobs to be supported by new funding
• Investment will support creation of five million hectares of new conservation estate

The Cook Government's commitment to expanding Western Australia's conservation estate will receive a significant $73 million boost over the next four years as part of Plan for Our Parks.

The funding, to be delivered as part of the 2024-25 State Budget, will support implementation of Indigenous Land Use Agreements and management plans for soon-to-be-created parks and reserves, such as the proposed South Coast Marine Park and Fortescue Marsh Nature Reserve, and provide additional investment for existing Plan for Our Parks projects.

More than 56 full-time, ongoing jobs will also be created, including trainee and Aboriginal rangers, marine park rangers and coordinators, and joint management coordinators in the Pilbara and South Coast regions.

Included in the overall investment is $22 million to support establishment of start-up infrastructure for new conservation reserves, such as new work centres and remote ranger stations, and other capital investments supporting Plan for Our Parks projects.

The WA Labor Government announced Plan for our Parks in 2019 with a vision of creating five million hectares of new conservation estate and national and marine parks - more than any Government in WA history.

More than half of that target has since been met, with the Bunuba National Park in the Kimberley region the most recently created park.

The Cook Government is in the process of completing several major projects as part of Plan for Our Parks, including South Coast Marine Park, which will be the largest of its kind in WA.

Creating WA's first marine park on the State's South Coast is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that requires significant resources, as well as deep consultation with stakeholders and the broader community.

To ensure the Government applies the appropriate level of focus to the project, planning to extend the existing Marmion Marine Park will be paused until the South Coast Marine Park process has concluded.

Comments attributed to Environment Minister Reece Whitby:

"The Cook Government is committed to creating five million hectares of new conservation estate as part of Plan for Our Parks.

"We're on track to meet that goal this year, which is a fantastic achievement.

"This investment will support the biggest conservation effort made by any Government in WA's history."