Many of Australia's
threatened species and
ecosystems are located on IPAs and/or in remote parts of Australia. The federal Working on Country program was established by the
Howard government in 2007, with the aim of creating meaningful employment, training and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in
managing land and sea areas, as well as maintaining their
cultures, and sharing their skills and knowledge with others. In turn, this would generate jobs in the
environmental,
biosecurity,
heritage and other sectors. These groups are supported by
Country Needs People, an alliance of more than 40 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations,
The Pew Charitable Trusts, and more than 95,000 individuals, campaigning for the growth and security of Indigenous ranger jobs and Indigenous Protected Areas. ==Funding==