**Published name**
1. Are the draft principles, and goals proposed appropriate and achievable? Are there any gaps or do you have suggestions for other that could be considered?
CHAC particularly agree with the principle that we should benefit from clean energy. CHAC would like to see this achieved through meaningful methods to upskill Aboriginal people in relation to clean energy, but also heritage and archaeology options.
2. What needs to change to ensure that First Nations people can access reliable, clean energy on an equitable basis, including those First Nations people located in metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia?
Access to clean energy should not be restricted by housing type or inclusively beneficial to homeowners. Renters and community housing should also be able to benefit from clean energy access. First Nations jobs on country is a priority, including sea
3. How should government and industry support First Nations people to own and manage renewable energy assets for long-term sustainability and community benefit?
Not only inclusion in clean energy projects but to facilitate and fund qualification opportunities for ongoing management of assets and ensuring that the economic growth goes back into the community particularly in relation to rural and remote areas.
4. What strategies are most likely to improve how quality information, data and resources concerning the clean energy transformation is developed and disseminated to First Nations communities?
Effective collaboration with local Aboriginal groups and organizations and use of appropriate language for each nation in Tasmania. Imbed local Aboriginal community into the projects for firsthand information.
5. What is the best way to build First Nations awareness and knowledge of clean energy and who should foster and deliver these outcomes? Do you have any suggested examples?
There needs to be varied solutions for different situations in how they can effectively participate in clean energy solutions. These will need to be tailored and facilitated by local community organisation.
6. What aspects of the current regulatory environment that presently govern Australia’s energy system most impact First Nations ability to participation and benefit from the clean energy transformation? What strategies would be effective in reducing these impacts?
How will renters or community housing residents see the benefits of clean energy? Locals should receive the most benefits from local energy projects including jobs on country and affordable energy (even when not a homeowner).
7. Which behaviours or outcomes should government consider incentivising through regulation, policy or programs to improve First Nations participation in Australia’s energy system?
Any participation whether it be consultative or through investing in learning or job opportunities for First Nations should be in a culturally safe environment and any workplace health and safety requirements should be considerate of cultural safety.
8. What is the best way to build First Nations organisations’ capacity and expertise in clean energy development?
To upskill in heritage assessment and employability in the clean energy sector, through support mechanisms for adequate training and qualifications that are culturally safe and appropriate. Need to be stakeholders in our country.
9. What is the best way that governments and industry can build their internal capacity to support First Nations participation and benefit?
Culturally safe, transparent and accountable. Adequate training and jobs on country.
10. What role should industry play in supporting First Nations develop their coordination and capacity?
Financing should form a big part of it, to ensure that economic circumstances are not a barrier for Aboriginal people in participating in the sector and thus benefiting from it.
11. What role do you think First Nations On-Country planning can play in realising benefits in the energy transition?
Ultimately, it is imbedded into Aboriginal culture to care for country, the transition to clean energy is a logical one. Those generations of caring for country must speak for something.
12. What is required to ensure First Nations Businesses are ready and able to participate in Australia’s Clean Energy transition?
Again, adequate training and a culturally safe seat at the table. This is also relevant to this very consultation with many Aboriginal communities and organizations (including CHAC) not adequately trained have the capacity to consult on such topics.
13. How could more opportunities for First Nations owned business be created for the Clean Energy industry?
Meaningful partnerships where benefits are equal. Bringing of understanding and knowledge of sea and sky country into business opportunities.
14. What workforce development approaches will maximise First Nations participation in the clean energy workforce? What are the barriers to this happening and how can they be overcome?
Access to adequate training opportunities in remote areas. For Circular Head residents, access to education like TAFE of University is considerable distance away with no public transport options creating logistical and economic barriers.
15. To improve First Nations access to finance, what strategies are required?
They need to supportive of the entirety family network in so far as how they affected to explore alternative employment and training opportunities.
16. What actions will lead to greater First Nations ownership of major renewable energy projects?
Access to training and education. Empowering them in circumstances where are typically the minority.
17. What are the key barriers to greater First Nations participation and benefit in renewable energy projects and how can they be overcome?
See answer to question 15. Sufficient financial support is critical. As is cultural safety and empowerment.
18. What can industry put in place when developing clean energy projects to ensure the cultural responsibilities of First Nations people are implemented throughout the project life cycle?
Ongoing reflection and consultation with local community and organisations.
19. What does an ideal scenario look like where First Nations people can effectively manage their Country and cultural heritage responsibilities in co-existence with clean energy assets?
Cultural heritage should not be sacrificed to make way for development. Asset developers should be required to adhere to intangible cultural heritage considerations, demonstrating a dedication to understand and respect cultural knowledge.
20. What does Free, Prior and Informed Consent look like to your organisation? And how can it be achieved in practice?
Concerns with Free consent is that often the time and capacity required to consult. Consultation should be paid to counter. Training is essential to ensure that any potential consent is informed, the information provided needs to understood adequate
21. Please suggest documented examples of best practice cultural heritage protection models or standards being applied in domestic or international jurisdictions?
/
22. What can government and industry put in place to ensure that First Nations environmental values and expertise inform the clean energy transformation and that Indigenous design thinking is integrated into clean energy projects?
Integrate our involvement into the process.
