First Nations Australians to shape land use planning across WA

• Opportunities for First Nations Australians with a passion for culture and planning
• Applications for regional planning role now open in the Pilbara
• Scholarship available for students to study urban and regional planning

The Cook Government is continuing its commitment to fostering Aboriginal leadership and cultural knowledge in land use planning through employment and scholarship opportunities.

As part of the growing First Nations Australians Planning Program, a new regional planning role is now available in the Pilbara for a First Nations Australian with strong knowledge of Country and a passion for planning.

The program aims to attract, recruit, and develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into land use planning roles within the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH).

The Pilbara position builds on the successful recruitment of three First Nations officers in the Kimberley and Mid West regions. Suitable applicants will also be placed in a pool for similar vacancies over a period of 24 months.

Successful candidates will work directly with community organisations and local services to shape economic development opportunities, infrastructure, development plans and governance strategies.

They will also collaborate and provide advice to DPLH, the Western Australian Planning Commission and other State and local governments to inform decision making and improve planning processes and policies, ensuring alignment with Aboriginal cultural and social priorities.

For more information on the First Nations Australians Planning Program and applications, which close on 10 November visit the Job Opportunity page on the WA Jobs and Workforce Hub website.

The program also complements the First Nations Australians Planning Program Scholarship, offered in partnership with Curtin University. 

Now in its second year, the scholarship supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to study urban and regional planning and pursue careers in land use planning roles across the State.  

Applications for the scholarship close on 24 November 2025. Visit scholarships.curtin.edu.au/Scholarship/?id=7667

Comments attributed to Planning and Lands Minister John Carey:

"The First Nations Australian Planning program and scholarship will help embed First Nations voices into land use planning.

"Through employment and education pathways, we are strengthening connections between planning frameworks and First Nations cultural practices."   

Comments attributed to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch:

"This program and scholarship reflect the significant role First Nations people play in the planning and development of Western Australia.

"These initiatives create meaningful career pathways, whether through direct employment or education, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

"For more than 60,000 years, First Nations people have cared for this country - its lands, its waters and its people, so there are no better advisers for our planning future."