Despite all government’s stated ambition for First Nations participation in Australia’s energy transition, there is a lack of commitment to embedding First Nations outcomes in transmission planning prior to decision-making.
First Nations people's land, waters, country, culture and land tenure rights must be engaged with and recognised in policy and legislative schemes that establish access to land and waters for transmission infrastructure.
And the development and installation of transmission infrastructure must incentivise First Nations outcomes, including genuine partnerships.
This session looks at the choices governments have available to them to embed First Nations-related outcomes in the ways that projects are funded, and through the rules determining how planning, investment, construction and operation of transmission (monopoly) assets occurs, and asks, if not now, when will government act to reduce risk and ensure transmission is developed at the pace required?
SPEAKERS: Emily Gerrard, Jason Bilney, Jonathan Kneebone, Paul Paton (Facilitator)