Remote communities often receive significantly reduced levels of public services compared to the rest of Australia. In addition, often these communities are not connected to Australia’s interconnected electricity systems and are not covered by the same regulatory and policy frameworks designed to protect consumer interests. In particular, remote First Nations communities often receive lower public service levels and consumer protections to those provided to other parts of Australia.
For many remote First Nations communities, increasingly regular temperature and climatic extremes are exacerbating energy insecurity issues.
In addition to the issue of regulatory disparities, other arrangements for the current supply of electricity in remote First Nations communities means that members of these communities are unable to participate in and benefit from Australia’s energy transition - e.g. to access the economic
(and associated cultural, health, education and wellbeing) benefits associated with household solar and battery.
Our submission to the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia’s Inquiry into Energy, Food and Water Security offers three recommendations, including:
- Ensure the proper implementation and resourcing of the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy so it can achieve its objectives, including through regular reporting at Energy Ministers’ meetings on the steps taken to implement the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy and progress towards meeting its objectives.
- Ensure that energy systems in First Nations communities are designed to best meet, at least cost to First Nations community members, the economic and social needs of First Nations community members - and which enables First Nations community members to participate in and benefit from Australia’s energy transition.
- Ensure that First Nations community members/energy consumers in remote locations are protected by equivalent regulatory and policy frameworks that support and protect energy consumers in more populous parts of Australia.