First Nations Clean Energy Strategy: Including First Nations peoples in Australia’s Clean Energy Transition
Tracks
Silent Conferencing
| Wednesday, August 28, 2024 |
| 11:20 AM - 11:40 AM |
Overview
Kirsty Gowans, Department Of Climate Change Energy Environment And Water
Speaker
Ms Nikki Burke
Assistant Director
Department Of Climate Change Energy Environment And Water
First Nations Clean Energy Strategy: Including First Nations peoples in Australia’s clean energy transition
Abstract
The transformation of Australia’s energy sector is well underway with the Commonwealth Government’s target of 82% renewable energy by 2030 driving significant levels of new investment.
First Nations peoples hold rights and interests in over 50 % of Australia’s land mass(1). In the context of northern Australia, First Nations people are critically important partners in the clean energy transformation. First Nations peoples have a strong capacity to determine which of their holdings in land and other resources might be applied to the transformation, and under what conditions. First Nations people have local and cultural knowledge, including management of Country, that should inform how Australia undertakes this mega-project.
To ensure First Nations Australians drive and benefit from the clean energy transition, the Australian Government committed $5.5 million to develop the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy (the Strategy).
The Strategy helps unlock opportunities for clean energy projects developed with, or led by, First Nations peoples. For industry, building better partnerships with First Nations peoples is essential for successfully completing clean energy projects on lands and waters where First Nations peoples hold rights and interests.
Strategy development included a national series of roundtables attended by more than 1000 First Nations community, industry and government representatives. The public consultation paper released in late 2023 generated 90 responses from across Australia.
This presentation explores how the (draft) Strategy supports First Nations aspirations to:
• participate in and benefit from the clean energy transformation
• have First Nations cultural heritage, knowledge and connection to land and sea Country valued and respected
• have government and industry engage appropriately with First Nations people to facilitate real partnerships with First Nations peoples and communities; and
• gain access to reliable clean energy
₁National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Land and Housing | website, accessed 28 September 2023.
First Nations peoples hold rights and interests in over 50 % of Australia’s land mass(1). In the context of northern Australia, First Nations people are critically important partners in the clean energy transformation. First Nations peoples have a strong capacity to determine which of their holdings in land and other resources might be applied to the transformation, and under what conditions. First Nations people have local and cultural knowledge, including management of Country, that should inform how Australia undertakes this mega-project.
To ensure First Nations Australians drive and benefit from the clean energy transition, the Australian Government committed $5.5 million to develop the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy (the Strategy).
The Strategy helps unlock opportunities for clean energy projects developed with, or led by, First Nations peoples. For industry, building better partnerships with First Nations peoples is essential for successfully completing clean energy projects on lands and waters where First Nations peoples hold rights and interests.
Strategy development included a national series of roundtables attended by more than 1000 First Nations community, industry and government representatives. The public consultation paper released in late 2023 generated 90 responses from across Australia.
This presentation explores how the (draft) Strategy supports First Nations aspirations to:
• participate in and benefit from the clean energy transformation
• have First Nations cultural heritage, knowledge and connection to land and sea Country valued and respected
• have government and industry engage appropriately with First Nations people to facilitate real partnerships with First Nations peoples and communities; and
• gain access to reliable clean energy
₁National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Land and Housing | website, accessed 28 September 2023.
Biography
Having worked in public policy for over 20 years, Kirsty Gowans now heads the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s Electricity Division. Kirsty previously managed the Rewiring the Nation program and ARENA’s renewable energy projects portfolio.
Kirsty’s background is in commercial law and Indigenous Affairs, having worked as a land claim lawyer for the Northern Land Council and criminal lawyer for the North Australia Aboriginal Legal Aid Service.
Kirsty is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Law Society of the ACT and has a Masters in Public and International
