'Fixing what wasn't broken': tender sparks environment volunteers' anger

Environment volunteers say their co-ordination groups losing out after a "gruelling" tender process will undermine their work and add an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.

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Three catchment groups have long provided support to smaller volunteer groups working to protect and enhance parks and reserves across the ACT, but did not win a contract when the government increased the funding and put it out to tender.

Urambi Hills Park Care group convener Glenn Schwinghamer, who is frustrated by the ACT government's funding decision. Picture by Keegan Carroll

It is a decision that has left volunteers from the more than 110 small supported groups, like Urambi Hills Park Care group convener Glenn Schwinghamer, frustrated.

"I value the support of my local catchment group, Southern ACT Catchment Group, 110 per cent," Mr Schwinghamer said.

The change in funding arrangements has angered and confused the Ginninderra, Southern ACT and Molonglo catchment groups, along with volunteers they serve.

But the volunteers' call for an immediate tender review and restoration of the catchment groups' funding has been rejected by the government.

Friends of Tuggeranong Hill's Vera Kurz said volunteers had explicitly chosen catchment groups to support their work because the model directly empowered volunteers.

"We were never consulted on whether we were happy with the support provided or if it needed changing. Structural change in the non-profit community sector should be community-led, not forced by top-down government policy," Ms Kurz said.

A government spokesperson said procurement concerns had already been considered and complaints about the process were not upheld.

"Funding for these community environmental programs to support environmental volunteers has not been removed. Funding has increased and services will be delivered through the preferred suppliers," the spokesperson said.

"The preferred suppliers were selected through an open, transparent and equitable procurement process consistent with ACT government financial management and procurement requirements."

The funding is now set to be directed through Landcare ACT in a shift the government is confident will continue to deliver high-quality environmental programs, strong community outcomes and value for money.

Southern ACT Catchment Group chair Gary Stephenson said the two-stage tender process had wasted government resources and put enormous financial and administrative strain on the groups.

"What makes it worse is that there was no identified problem with the previous funding model. We are spending time and money fixing something that wasn't broken," Mr Stephenson said.

ACT Greens leader Jo Clay has also criticised the funding decision. "Decades of local knowledge and volunteer goodwill isn't something you can rebuild by running another tender," Ms Clay said in August.

The tender followed a review of the program that found it had a high impact for a relatively modest investment and was well aligned with the government's priorities.

"The programs deliver measurable environmental and community outcomes through cost-effective, community-led models," a July 2025 brief to Environment Minister Suzanne Orr obtained by the ACT Greens under freedom-of-information law said.

Glenn Schwinghamer: 'I support my catchment group 110 per cent'. Picture by Keegan Carroll

"They support government goals in biodiversity conservation, environmental education, citizen science and community wellbeing while leveraging volunteer networks to extend the reach and impact of public investment."

But the brief said the catchment groups were duplicating administrative costs - a claim disputed by the groups - and other groups, such as Landcare ACT, might be well positioned to deliver the services.

"Long standing and uncontested financial arrangements may be unintentionally fostering a sense of reliance and limiting opportunities for greater initiative and self-sufficiency within community groups," the brief said.

The tender was designed to find a single provider across the ACT rather than continue supporting three separate catchment groups. The groups made a joint tender bid.

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Mr Stephenson said the catchment groups had built mature and stable committees with deep institutional knowledge, showing leadership came from the ground up.

"Our catchment groups worked together to offer a cohesive, unified delivery plan, but this strong community-elected model was flatly rejected in favour of an entity with a new chair, a new CEO, no local office, and no staff with experience working with community," Mr Stephenson said.

The government said the change in service providers would not change the role of volunteers and more than $7 million would be spent over six years to support them through community environmental programs.

The ACT was confident the new arrangements would continue delivering high-quality environmental programs, strong community outcomes and value for money, a spokesperson said.

"The ACT government is working with incoming providers, existing organisations and volunteers to maintain participation, retain practical knowledge and minimise disruption," the spokesperson said.

Environment Minister Suzanne Orr. Picture by Gary Ramage

Volunteers would continue to have access to the services and equipment they needed and would receive communications from the government when the new contract was in place to explain the changes and "support a smooth transition", they said.

The government told the catchment groups in March 2025 they would receive an extension of their funding for a year while a review of how to best support local environmental groups was completed.

Labor had promised before the 2024 election they would launch a "review of how to best assist local environmental groups with their ongoing needs and activities".

The 2024-25 budget included $1.3 million over four years to boost support for environmental volunteer programs in the territory.

Ms Orr told a parliamentary inquiry in July the tender process was needed to ensure the government could ensure it was getting value for money.

The Legislative Assembly's budget estimates committee said it was concerned the funding changes had affected the work the groups could carry out by diverting their focus to negotiating a procurement process.

"The loss of funding for CSEEP to the catchment groups threatens their ongoing viability, as well as their staff and volunteer wellbeing, which will in turn impact the volunteer groups they coordinate," the committee's report said.

"The committee considers that this poses a risk to continued volunteer engagement and to the environmental stewardship of the territory."

The committee recommended the government consider the impact and appropriateness of its procurement processes for small contracts awarded to not-for-profit community organisations heavily reliant on volunteers.

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