Indigenous Protected Areas program to shift to environment department from April

The federal government says management of the Indigenous Protected Areas program will move fully to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water from 1 April, in a change it describes as administrative and aimed at simplifying support for providers.

Currently, the IPA program is managed by both DCCEEW and the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).

Indigenous Protected Areas are a long-running part of Australia’s conservation system, with Traditional Owners working to protect and manage Country through agreements that recognise cultural knowledge alongside environmental outcomes. The program supports on-Country work, planning and stewardship across a wide range of landscapes and seascapes.

Under the change, the environment department will take full responsibility for the program. The government says the transition will not affect on-Country activities, funding, existing dedications, management plans or agreements. It has also stressed that the Indigenous Rangers Program will remain managed by the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

For providers, the most immediate question is often practical — who to contact, how contracts and reporting will work, and what support is available when challenges arise. The government says every provider will be assigned a dedicated project officer within the environment department, and that guidance will be provided throughout the transition.

The government’s messaging is that the shift should make things simpler and easier to manage. For many Indigenous organisations, however, administrative changes can create uncertainty if timelines, funding cycles and reporting arrangements change at the same time as community needs remain constant. Providers typically balance environmental work with cultural responsibilities, local employment, and the realities of operating in remote and regional settings where staffing and access to services can be limited.

Indigenous Protected Areas are often closely linked to ranger work and broader land and sea management, including fire management, invasive species control, biodiversity monitoring and cultural site protection. Many communities also describe the work as strengthening culture and governance, particularly when young people and Elders are involved in caring for Country together.

The government says nothing will change before 1 April and that the program will continue operating as usual until then. From April, the environment department will manage existing projects through the Community Grants Hub.

NIAA and DCCEEW are working closely to make sure everything transfers smoothly.

The coming weeks are likely to be a key period for providers to confirm points of contact and ensure agreements and reporting lines remain clear, particularly for organisations that deliver work across large areas and rely on stable funding and administrative support to keep teams on Country.