Beyond compliance: Embedding First Nations participation in the energy transition

Speech

First Nations & The Energy Transition Forum

13 June 2025 | Brisbane

Beyond compliance: Embedding First Nations participation in the energy transition

Good morning everyone.

I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Jagera and Turrbal peoples of Meanjin and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I also extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.

I’d like to note, I am not here to speak on behalf of First Nations communities. What I share today is not a substitute for First Nations voices – and it should never be.

I’m here as someone who has the privilege and responsibility of leading social impact at AEMO Services and have been provided this wonderful opportunity to amplify what many First Nations leaders, communities and advocates have been saying for decades – that real participation in economic development is vital.

And while I don’t pretend to have all the answers – and certainly not the lived experience – what I do bring is a conviction that the energy transition can, and must, be done differently.

Why this matters

Australia’s energy transformation is not just technical or economic. It’s also a social transition – one that asks us to rethink the relationships between land, people, and power. And that includes how we recognise, respect, and involve First Nations voices in shaping and benefiting from this change.

We have a once-in-a generation chance to build not only renewable energy infrastructure, but to create space for enduring First Nations participation, self-determination, and economic prosperity.

If we get this right, we don’t just deliver cleaner energy – we build stronger partnerships, more resilient projects, and a more sustainable and inclusive future.

So today, I’d like to explore how we, as an industry, can work together to embed meaningful First Nations participation in the energy transition; and reflect on how we can move from compliance to best practice to ensure First Nations communities not only benefit, but thrive, as a result of this transformation.

Because the question is no longer if First Nations engagement and participation matters – it’s how deep, how early, and how meaningful we’re willing to make it.

Who we are: ASL’s role

Before we dig into that though, let me share a little about AEMO Services and our role in this.

AEMO Services is a subsidiary of AEMO, purpose built to help transform Australia’s energy system. We act as a trusted intermediary between governments and the private sector, creating a bridge between policy ambitions and the action that will deliver the energy transition.

Our vision is to enable Australia’s energy system to transform in a way that benefits all Australians.

We were initially established as a specialist delivery vehicle to perform the role of the Consumer Trustee under the NSW Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap but have since evolved and now deliver tenders nationally.

Our delivery and advisory services include tender delivery and system planning, product design and advice, financial risk management, governance and assurance, social impact, stakeholder relations and communications, and contract management.

Our tenders are our key mechanism for translating government policy ambition into real-world outcomes.

To date, our tenders have supported projects expected to contribute more than 8 GW of generation, 18 GWh of long-duration storage and 9 GWh of firming and dispatchable capacity to the Australian energy market. These projects are expected to contribute approximately:

• $21 billion in investment in local supply chains;
• $900 million in commitments to shared community benefit initiatives; and
• $500 million in commitments to First Nations participation.

What we ask of developers

Our tender process assesses projects against eligibility criteria, as well as merit criteria for project viability and sustainability, financial value, and benefits to local communities and First Nations peoples.

When developers submit their tender bids, they are required to demonstrate a clear understanding of project impacts on the community and to provide a tailored approach to minimise and offset these impacts.

They are also required to demonstrate how they will improve regional economic development and support social value benefit realisation through local supply chain development, employment, workforce development and First Nations participation.

We provide developers detailed information to assist them in preparing quality bids, clearly outlining what we expect and providing examples of good practices.

For example:

• We want to see proactive engagement with First Nations communities that begins early, before decisions are locked in, and with genuine intent. Not just consultation. We suggest establishing a First Nations Working Group or partnering with an Aboriginal Action Panel and Land Council to ensure opportunities are afforded to First Nations peoples, businesses and communities throughout the project lifecycle.
• We want to see place-based approaches – tailored to the unique cultural, historical, and economic context of each location. This may include working with Traditional Custodians to incorporate cultural heritage protections and environmental safeguards and offsets into project design; or working with a local First Nations group to support co-designed Indigenous land-care initiatives.
• We also seek alternative commitments where we encourage developers to offer innovative approaches. Things like long-term partnerships and equity opportunities, not just one-off benefits. Models that reflect co-design, shared decision-making, cultural governance and shared prosperity – ideally ones that provide intergenerational value.

What we’re seeing vs what’s needed

We’re seeing a strong and growing intent across the industry to improve First Nations engagement – and that’s encouraging. There’s a clear desire to do better, and many proponents are genuinely trying to embed more meaningful commitments in their tender bids.

What we’re working to support now is a shift from intent to impact.

Some tender bid submissions express a commitment to First Nations benefit schemes but haven’t yet articulated the practical ‘how’ – the specific initiatives, the intended outcomes, or how communities have helped shaped those proposals. There’s an opportunity here to draw a clearer line between ambition and tangible benefit, so that commitments are grounded and deliverable.

We’ve also noticed some proponents rely heavily on corporate policies, Reconciliation Action Plan statements, or a standardised set of commitments used across multiple projects. These can be important foundations, but we are encouraging proponents to go further – to develop tailored, place-based plans that reflect local context and community priorities, shaped through genuine engagement.

There’s also an opportunity to bring First Nations voices into the project earlier. Where engagement begins after key decisions are already made, the ability to influence outcomes is understandably limited. Early, proactive engagement creates space for partnership, co-design, and better long-term outcomes. And while many bids do include offers of contract work or grant funding, the real potential lies in moving toward more strategic and enduring value – things like long-term roles, capacity building, equity models, and legacy programs that can create intergenerational benefit.

Finally, clarity in delivery planning is key. The strongest submissions don’t just outline what they intend to do – they also show how they plan to do it. They identify who will lead implementation, what partnerships will be formed, and how progress will be measured and adjusted over time.

So, what we’re seeing is a sector that’s leaning in – and with the right guidance, the right examples, and a commitment to continuous improvement, we know the quality of outcomes will continue to grow.

But how do we move beyond compliance-driven commitments to adopting best practice approaches that are co-designed, place-based, and built on genuine partnership?

To explore that, I want to share a few case studies – real-world examples that show what’s possible when First Nations communities are positioned not just as stakeholders, but as co-owners and strategic partners in the energy transition.

Case study: Oneida Energy Storage Project

Our first example is from Ontario, Canada where NRStor, an energy storage company, has collaborated with the Six Nations of the Grand River to establish a 250 MW / 1,000 MWh lithium-ion battery storage facility – the largest of its kind in Canada.

The Six Nations possess a 50% equity stake in the project, transcending traditional impact benefit agreements. This arrangement not only positions the Six Nations as co-owners and decision-makers but also ensures they directly benefit from its success.

The partnership between NRStor and the Six Nations required years of relationship-building, founded on trust and transparency. Collaboration has been integral at every stage of the project's development and decisions have been made jointly, embodying a shared vision for sustainable energy and community empowerment.

Significant financial support has been garnered for the project, including a $50 million investment by the Government of Canada in recognition of the project's contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting First Nations economic development.

For the Six Nations community, the project signifies more than economic gain—their commercial stake is being reinvested to support various community initiatives, including education and cultural revitalisation. Their voice in governance has ensured that the project aligns with community values and priorities, particularly environmental stewardship and self-determination.

This initiative serves as a testament to the potential achievements when First Nations communities are genuine partners in energy development, demonstrating that equity-sharing is both viable and beneficial for all parties involved.

Case study: Mokai Geothermal Power Station

Our second case study takes us just across the Tasman to Aotearoa. It’s a great example of how First Nations-led enterprises can shape and lead in the renewable energy sector.

Established in 1952 under the Maori Land Act, the Tuaropaki Trust was formed by 297 Maori landowners to collectively manage their ancestral land near Taupo in New Zealand’s North Island.

Over time, these efforts have evolved into a diverse and high-performing portfolio, centred around the 113 MW Mokai Geothermal Power Station – the largest privately developed geothermal facility in New Zealand – developed in partnership with Mercury Energy.

Beyond geothermal energy, the Trust has diversified its portfolio to include:

• green hydrogen production using geothermal energy in collaboration with Japan’s Obayashi Corporation;
• a comprehensive range of geothermal and energy services delivered across the Asia-Pacific region; and
• pastoral farming, dairy processing, and horticulture, utilising geothermal energy for greenhouse heating and other applications, integrating renewable energy with sustainable land use.

The Trust ensures that profits from its ventures are reinvested back into the community through:

• annual dividends paid to its beneficial owners;
• education scholarships, health grants, and whanau wellbeing initiatives; and
• support for ongoing intergenerational development through both continuous commercial returns and cultural reconnection.

The foundation for the Trust’s success was not established overnight. The early legal recognition of collective Maori land ownership under the Maori Land Act provided the Trust with the security and autonomy necessary for long-term strategic decision-making. Equally crucial were the enabling policies and partnerships that followed – government frameworks that facilitated access to infrastructure, technical support, and commercial partnerships with reliable corporate allies such as Mercury.

This long-term strategy enabled the Trust to progress from passive involvement to industry leadership, offering economic development, cultural preservation, community wellbeing, and long-term self-determination – benefits that compound over generations.

For developers considering support for similar initiatives, establishing trusts or corporations functioning as commercial entities for community benefit is a proven model. These entities allow for income reinvestment into various ventures for compounding economic returns while also supporting social and philanthropic programs that strengthen the community in the long term.

Case study: East Kimberley Clean Energy Project

Some of you may already be familiar with our final example Its partnership model is a pioneering approach for Australia.

The East Kimberley Clean Energy Project is spearheaded by the Aboriginal Clean Energy Partnership, a collaboration involving three Traditional Owner groups coordinated through the MG Corporation and Balanggarra Ventures Corporation, as well as the Kimberley Land Council and clean energy investor Pollination.

The partnership aims to establish a large-scale renewable energy hub in Western Australia's East Kimberley region. The ambitious vision of the project is to produce green hydrogen and ammonia for both domestic use and export markets, utilising:

• solar power from a proposed 1,000 MW solar farm to be constructed on freehold land owned by MG Corporation,
• water from Lake Kununurra, and
• existing hydro capacity from the Ord Hydro Power Plant at Lake Argyle.

This initiative exemplifies co-ownership, with First Nations partners playing a central role in governance and strategic direction. The partnership model facilitates an integrated development process for heritage, native title, environmental, engineering and approvals through true co-design, co-decision making and self-determination, significantly reducing project development risk and accelerating the project’s schedule.

First Nations groups are enabled to be active shareholders rather than passive stakeholders. Partners have been actively engaged in various aspects including cultural heritage, social engagement, and remote land management. This approach represents a departure from extractive models of the past, moving towards reciprocity and shared prosperity. The partnership model ensures the project's benefits – financial, social, and cultural – directly flow to the communities whose land is utilised. Importantly, the project aligns with traditional values, honouring cultural connections to land and water, and reinforcing the rights of First Nations people to participate as owners, innovators, and protectors of Country.

These three examples demonstrate what is possible when companies work in partnership, leading to strengthened community outcomes and project success. They’re examples that challenge us to raise the bar – to move beyond compliance and start building pathways for shared prosperity.

What we can learn

So, what lessons can we take from these examples to help us move beyond compliance towards leading best practice?

1. Start early. Engage First Nations communities from day zero. Not after land access is secured, but when ideas are forming. Effective partnerships take time. They begin with listening, not proposals.
2. Be transparent. Share information openly. Set realistic expectations and build trust over time.
3. Build capacity, together. First Nations communities bring deep knowledge – but may also face structural barriers to participation. Work together to reduce those barriers.
4. Co-design outcomes. Don’t assume what’s valued – ask, and design with, not for. Build mechanisms for genuine engagement and partnership – don’t just seek feedback.
5. Explore innovative models. We need to move from transactional benefits to intergenerational impact. Whether it’s equity sharing, joint ventures, or shared governance – there are options beyond the status quo that can deliver better outcomes for everyone.

Raising the bar together: a vision for Australia

I want you to imagine for a moment; an Australia where every project built on Country is built with Country.

Where First Nations communities are not just consulted but contracted. Not just invited but invested.

Where cultural values shape environmental design.

Where every renewable energy project in Australia delivers meaningful First Nations economic benefit as standard.

Where revenue supports language programs, ranger groups, community housing.

Where our clean energy future is also a reconciled future.

This isn’t a utopian vision. It’s a question of leadership. Of will. Of courage.

If others can do it, so can we.

The energy transition is one of the most significant nation-building opportunities of our time.

But how we transition matters just as much as how fast we transition. And that means making sure First Nations people and communities are not just invited to the table – but are helping to set the table and shape the menu.

When we approach this work with respect, and openness, and with the willingness to learn – we all stand to gain. Not just cleaner power. But stronger partnerships, deeper trust and shared legacy.

The energy transition is not something that can be delivered by any one organisation, agency, or community alone. It’s a shared endeavour – one that demands deep collaboration, honest reflection, and collective ambition.

And looking around this room, I see the breadth of that ecosystem. Government, industry, developers, consultants, Traditional Custodians, legal advisors, financiers – we’re all here. And that’s powerful.

Because if we each play our part with intention; if we lean into partnership; if we stay grounded in purpose – then the transition we build won’t just be fast. It will be fair. It will be inclusive. It will be enduring.

Because ultimately, we’re not just building energy projects. We’re building a new system – one that will shape how we live, work, and share this land for generations to come. We’re building the future.

We all have a choice: We can continue business as usual and maintain the status quo, or we can act with intention, and a commitment to do things differently; and embrace a new, inclusive approach.