Timing has never been more critical. Torres Strait Islanders are on the frontline of climate change impacts being located on small, isolated islands in the hard to reach remote region of Northern Australia. You could say we are the canaries on the bottom of the mine shaft, and in a perfect storm. Now in the midst of the avalanche of climate change impacts globally, the need to elevate our voices so that it is not smothered continues to be challenging. Greater self-determination is key to effectively lead and manage our physical, cultural and unique environment.

Consolidating our past knowledge and practices and ongoing aspirations towards self-determination has an added level of urgency as Torres Strait Islanders to preserve our culture and identity and ancestral homelands from the inevitability of climate change impacts.

My keynote presentation will explore where the Torres Strait Islander people are today in our self-determination journey, and how this relates to our next phase of physical and cultural preservation.

Starting the journey of self-determination with the landmark Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo native title determination in 1992 for Mer Island in the Torres Strait, I will cover progress made over the last three decades - which has been too slow, as shown in the most recent Closing the Gap reports, and negative social impacts faced in the region.

My address speaks to inspiring thought leadership to look beyond acceptance of the new norm and find ways that empowers Torres Strait Islander people to exercise self-determination and understanding to protect our rights and island way of life as saltwater people.