Australia’s clean energy transition is accelerating, but First Nations participation and benefit continues to lag behind the pace and scale of change.

Since the First Nations Clean Energy Network’s 2024–25 Pre‑Budget Submission, the Commonwealth has released the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy (2024–2030) and committed $70 million to its implementation.

While welcome, this funding is wholly inadequate when set against the Strategy’s intent and ambition, the scale of infrastructure being developed on First Nations land and waters, and the economic, social and energy security outcomes at stake. 

First Nations households continue to experience some of the highest energy costs, poorest housing quality and lowest levels of energy security in the country. First Nations organisations remain under‑resourced to be able to engage with, consent to, invest in and benefit from large‑scale clean energy infrastructure. Critically, there is still no adequately funded, national program to deliver solar, batteries and climate‑resilient retrofits at scale for First Nations housing. 

The gap between policy intent and delivery is widening. Without decisive fiscal intervention, the Strategy risks becoming aspirational rather than transformational. 

This 2026-27 Pre-Budget Submission updates and re‑states the Network’s core budget priorities which were clearly set out in our 2024-25 Pre-Budget Submission. They include:

1. Recommendation 1: Invest in First Nations housing energy efficiency, household electrification, and solar and battery systems to reduce costs of living and improve household wellbeing
2. Recommendation 2: Invest in First Nations-led community energy and diesel reduction initiatives for improved climate resilience, emissions reduction and energy reliability
3. Recommendation 3: Invest in First Nations people, organisations and ideas to improve capacity and capability, and provide access to capital for First Nations clean energy project leadership to de-risk and add value to Australia’s clean energy transition ambition.

Many of the Network’s previous recommendations remain unchanged because the underlying structural barriers remain unresolved.

The clean energy transition cannot proceed at the speed and scale required without properly resourcing First Nations communities, organisations and households as energy participants, owners and decision‑makers. 

Read our submission

Everyone deserves access to power and every community should have homes that are climate resilient. 

For many remote Indigenous communities across Australia, electricity continues to be unreliable, unaffordable and inequitable, impacting quality of life and the ability to remain on Country.

This paper speaks to energy access challenges, the role of adequate housing in energy solutions, past successes that can be leveraged by future programs, community perspectives on energy and the interface with Indigenous culture, and emerging trends in best-practice energy delivery.

It also reflects on the opportunities that a decentralised, renewables-focused energy system offers remote communities in terms of improved living conditions and self-determination.

Authors: Ruby Heard, Michael Berris, Anna Cain, Chris Croker, Michael Frangos, Donna Fraser, Andre Grant, Brad Riley, Paul Rodden, The current state of power supply to remote Indigenous communities, Engineers Australia, April 2025

Read the paper

A new national survey has found over 70% of First Nations people struggle to cool their homes.

Waramungu elders from the Wilya Janta (Standing Strong) housing collaboration are raising funds for two demonstration homes to be built in Tennant Creek. The houses will be solar-powered, well-insulated and water efficient.