Job Creation Opportunities

Benefits to People

During the period of economic recovery from COVID-19, there is scope for tens of thousands of skilled and unskilled workers to be employed in the conservation and land management sector.


This program would provide important opportunities for safe, meaningful and socially beneficial work during the period of economic recovery, while leaving enduring benefits for the environment, local communities, tourism and farm businesses.


The program would provide a pathway from welfare to work for thousands of people, including unskilled workers and young people at risk of long-term unemployment, at a substantially lower cost than large-scale infrastructure programs.

For workers, this program would provide an income, the dignity of work, new skills, mental health benefits and the opportunity to contribute to the resilience and long-term productivity of our land, rivers, oceans and farming landscapes.

Benefits to Tourism

In regional centres hard-hit by the downturn in tourism, this investment would provide people with the dignity of work, support them to remain actively involved in their community
Maintaining, restoring and enhancing natural tourism assets

Public investment in conservation and land management work presents opportunities to restore and enhance natural tourism assets (e.g. restoring visitor infrastructure and natural habitats destroyed by bushfire; tracks and trails in national parks; monitoring and restoring coastal and marine habitats).

Income diversification for tourism businesses

There may be opportunities for tourism businesses to diversify their income during the economic recovery period. For example, marine tourism operators would be well placed to provide boats, dive equipment and skilled workers for marine research and habitat restoration activities on the Great Barrier Reef.

Retaining experienced tourism workers in regional areas

In regional centres hard-hit by the downturn in tourism, this investment would provide people with the dignity of work, support them to remain actively involved in their community and provide a pathway back into long-term work as tourism and other key economic sectors recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

Leaving a lasting environmental legacy and promoting natural icons

By scaling up existing successful conservation programs during

the economic recovery period, we can leave a lasting legacy for

nature, enhance the resilience of rural landscapes, promote our iconic natural assets and highlight the tourism industry’s long-term commitment to environmental sustainability.