First Nations Clean Energy Strategy - Submission by the Australian Council of Trade Unions in response to the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy Consultation Paper

While acknowledging the importance of the goal of respecting First Nations peoples' cultural knowledge, heritage, and connection to land and sea Country, ACTU recommends the strategy to be aspirational and broaden the goal to include ongoing learning from First Nations cultural knowledge and heritage to innovate and advance the clean energy transition's objectives. [...] The First Nations clean energy strategy should, in its design and ideology, commit to promoting Unions as genuine stakeholders working for the benefit of First Nations workers and in the genuine interest of developing a First Nations clean energy workforce. [...] The strategy should lead to the design and implementation of an umbrella First Nations clean energy capacity fund having sub-funds to support efforts by First Nations to build a clean energy workforce (workforce development fund) and for First Nations businesses and communities to develop independent clean energy projects (Clean Energy development fund). [...] Australia's First Nations Clean Energy strategy should be based on the pillars of respect and recognition of the ongoing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders towards the land and waters of the country and their right and obligation to protect the same. [...] A comprehensive and well-designed First Nations Clean Energy strategy holds the potential to unlock the enormous potential of Australia's First Nations to lead the Nation's Clean energy future, in a just and equitable manner.