Testimonials

Things that I would take away from PowerMakers is really getting serious about our mob. You know, try and engage and really work together to see what we can do as the next generation to continue this.

For me it's a passion, and you know, continuing possibilities for our people but also making relationships and connecting to all other brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, and other First Nations groups, so that we reap the benefits of decarbonisation. It's about sharing knowledge, like we've always done as part of our culture.

It's empowering our next generation and it's about taking this into the next step in real life -- benefits for all of us, not just certain groups, but sharing that knowledge. And that's why it's good being a part of this.

We are country, the country is us. That's not negotiable.

I really enjoyed the networking aspect of this event. It's been incredible! Inspiring people here. The case studies are talking about how to actually implement a project. It's been really fascinating to see the steps. I'm collecting that because I feel like that’s kind of where I could make a difference.

This week's been honestly a bit mind-blowing for me.

Speaking about the next generation, I think that's where we can play our part in making the change.

I'm sort of down on the ground working doing the renewable energy installations and stuff, but appreciating the battles and the everyday things that have been happening upstairs. Everyone's having the same struggles and stuff that I'm having, but obviously on the biggest scale as well. So that was really good for me.

This PowerMakers conference has really been inspiring.

I actually didn't know how advanced -- and what we can do -- in this clean energy space. This is really new industry to us. We've heard about clean energy and stuff around before, and back up home, the mine's about to close in the next five years. So a part of me coming down was to see what that clean energy industry looks like back home potentially, and how that can benefit our mob as well.

I think the most important thing is collaboration and I want to continue working with all of your Mob.

Working together isn't such a strong suit in my country. I'm a big believer that we all do something different, but when we bring all those things together, we actually build capacity and we can go a lot further. So that'll be my measures taken back to my community.

I think we do bring different strengths and I sort of came into this and tried to take on as much as possible. I found it a little bit overwhelming at times because I sort of come from that construction industry. So I think that's probably where my strengths lie.

A really inspirational week and much appreciated.

This week has been a privilege, to sit in this room with some terrible news stories, and share information and experiences that we all know are pretty common. But also understanding that we all have a collective responsibility to work together in order to make the outcomes that we want to make that future brighter. It was great to be here and get that fire in the belly. I think now we know we can be a lot more proactive in setting the agenda for our communities to ensure that they're at the forefront of this clean energy renewable transition. Thank you very much for this opportunity.

It's just so powerful sitting around this week, listening to the work that everyone's doing.

As a collective, we are strong. We can share that with the west coast to the east coast, up to the Torres Straits. It's that group economy. Could there be a mix where we use our services and programs, that we create that our own economy? 

I feel like I've learned so much, and that I still have so much to learn.

There’s 58 nations in my patch. We want to educate them. So I guess I'm going to take that back and put this collective of everyone back to work with this.

It's really challenging for us to fight for our opportunities. But listening to all of your journeys and all the struggles that you've had to endure, and the tenacity to continue, inspires me to think about what can I do for my mob. I'll be taking some of these stories back to talk to my mob about what we can do.

I think you guys have certainly inspired me to be a bit more frontier.

Knowledge is power. And lots of people with knowledge is powerful.

It starts with culture and country. I'm really hopeful that we will intersect and that people will stop working to silence the issues of native tongue.

I think this is a platform now for us to stay connected and to create those changes that I think we all want to see.

We are inevitable as black people. It's the only way forward. The cloning project is dead, and we know as much as we know already, and their way has already been demonstrated to be failing. So we've got nothing to lose. We can probably solve all of our own problems and expand through this network in different ways.

I've learned a lot from everyone here. I'm happy to take this back and give it to all my people.

I'm doing this for our people. And yeah, it's been an honour.

There's so many beautiful minds in this room that we are in, and I want to thank all of them. That would be my dream -- that we could power Australia, that we benefit from it into the future.

My days of wishing that I had stopped these generators from, you know, the constant noise pollution, the money that they spend used to build up their power strategy... I feel like that should be one of the missions for us -- how do we help other groups. 

There's a lot of power poverty and we should do as much as we can to help people come along into the First Nations place that they deserve.

We used to try everything to get renumeration. We didn't get anything. And now there's actually a groundswell of support. And it's also an opportunity that we can't miss. So beautiful.

PowerMakers Program Overview

PowerMakers is a five-day immersive experience focused on practical and applied learning in clean and renewable energy. 

The program aims to build the confidence and knowledge of First Nations leaders to realise the opportunities of the clean energy transition, manage and understand the risks, develop successful clean energy projects, and build fair and equitable partnerships. 

By equipping leaders and communities with these skills, First Nations will be supported to participate in and benefit from Australia's renewable energy revolution.

During the PowerMakers program, we explore community and energy landscapes, delve into energy engagement, planning, and the practical steps to bring renewable energy projects to life.

Participants have the opportunity to engage with industry experts, passionate mentors, and like-minded peers. 

Combining theory with real-world application, the curriculum enables participants to become leaders in the clean energy transition and progress clean energy projects and opportunities successfully by, for and with, Community.

PowerMakers Program Objectives

• Empowerment: Empowering First Nations people to drive participation, ownership and other economic, health, cultural and wellbeing outcomes from clean energy solutions within their communities and on Country.
• Practical Learning: Leading a program focused on practical and applied learning in renewable energy, including project ownership, negotiation, community energy planning, business management, business supply chain, employment opportunities and advanced energy systems.
• Skill Development: Equipping participants with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to lead clean energy initiatives, including understanding clean energy technologies, project financing, equity structures, and the Australian energy and policy landscape.
• Community Impact: Enabling participants to make a positive impact within their Communities by exploring community energy landscapes, planning and implementing renewable energy projects, and maximising community benefits.
• Negotiation: Facilitating strategies for effective negotiations, developing partnerships, and mastering lobbying techniques to influence the political and corporate landscape and drive clean energy projects.
• Cultural Preservation: Emphasising the importance of renewable energy in preserving First Nations culture, heritage and environment, and harnessing sustainable energy sources for a resilient future.
• Collaboration: Fostering connections between participants, industry experts and mentors to support participants in becoming leaders in the clean energy transition.