It is no secret that coal has no place in our future. It is also not a secret that climate change is a threat to us, our livelihood and to be grim, our very existence. The only way forward is through a quick and just transition to clean energy.

This is an excerpt from an article written by Nyiyaparli-Yamatji-Nyungar woman Emma Garlett and published in the West Australian.

I am doing all I can. Last week I was the chair for part of the First Nations and the Energy Transition Forum to encourage industry, government and communities to partner for clean energy projects.

Stakeholders and leaders from across the nation spoke about the importance of First Nations people being involved in decarbonisation and energy transition in Australia.

While the iron was hot, the Federal Government struck and mic-dropped the first-ever First Nations Clean Energy Strategy.

The strategy has been developed with extensive input from First Nations peoples, and it provides a framework for communities, industries and governments.

It has three goals.

• Firstly, to power First Nations communities with clean energy.
• Secondly, to enable equitable partnerships.
• And lastly, to achieve economic benefits with First Nations people.

I have been advocating for First Nations involvement in clean energy for years, so, to see it come to fruition in public policy is a huge win for all Australians for a just transition.

This strategy is a roadmap to ensure Traditional Owners benefit from projects on their land, which is well overdue.

This is about ensuring the transition is just and equitable.

Many remote Aboriginal communities are currently reliant on rudimentary power infrastructure, namely diesel generators.

We have an opportunity to change this.

The cost to maintain the generators is not just in fuel, but in the time and manpower needed to travel to towns and back, which takes a toll and we have a better way forward now.

It is heartening to see that a significant amount of stakeholder consultation went into developing this strategy, as too often decisions have been made on behalf of Indigenous peoples without asking First Nations people what they want and need.

Throughout 2023 the consultation included nine roundtable discussions from around the country, including First Nations peoples, State and Territory governments, industry representatives, and academics.

Effective stakeholder engagement is the lynchpin to a successful collaborative approach to self-determination for Indigenous peoples, where there is ample opportunity for communities to tell the government what they need and how it can be achieved.

No longer will Indigenous stakeholders be treated as an “other” category in consultation and national development, for policy-makers to tick a box and make an acknowledgement.

First Nations people are rights holders and they are key to the success of a clean energy project.

Real self-determination and real positive outcomes stem from national movements like this strategy, and it’s a step in the right direction for Australia.

So, what’s next for Australia and Western Australia?

Following the strategy will be a good start.

We have an opportunity to lead the way and make groundbreaking decisions, we have an opportunity to put our reconciliation plans into action and try to enable self-determination for First Nations people to close the gap once and for all.

If done right, this will have generational flow-on effects and positive impacts for decades to come.

Partnering and doing this the right way is imperative to ensure Australia leads in the resources and energy industries.

We can’t afford to leave our communities behind by not including them.From generational trauma to generational wealth.

This is a start to closing all gaps.

Read the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy here

This is an excerpt from an article written by Nyiyaparli-Yamatji-Nyungar woman Emma Garlett and published in the West Australian