Energy Consumers Australia appreciates the opportunity to provide comment on the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy Consultation Paper.

We strongly endorse Ministers’ agreement to create a First Nations Clean Energy Strategy that recognises the unique role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers and communities as Traditional Owners, and stewards of Country. A critical challenge for the Strategy will be ensuring that these roles are appropriately recognised and rewarded in policy and market settings, particularly as Australian governments pursue more ambitious renewable investment targets to mitigate climate change.

We also welcome the Strategy’s intention to address and remove policy and regulatory barriers encountered by First Nations people and communities.

Key recommendations:

• People have a right to energy that is affordable, reliable and clean
• Energy should be embedded as a right in energy law and rules
• The First Nations Clean Energy Strategy should set purposeful, ambitious and measurable targets that deliver clear benefits to First Nations communities and consumers
• Policy and program design should actively consider where consumers encounter obstacles in making a decision

Read the full submission here.