KLC NEWSROOM
Kimberley Land Council and the Australian National University support research into renewable energy development in Aboriginal communities
Recently, the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) and the Australian National University (ANU) jointly hosted an intern in Broome to help research the opportunities and risks associated with renewable energy development in Aboriginal communities.
If you have any questions about Ganur’s work or would like to find out more about it or read a copy of the paper, please contact Ganur at Ganur95@gmail.com.
Working on the ANU’s Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia Pacific Grand Challenge, intern Ganur Maynard focused on the use and regulation of renewable energy in Aboriginal communities. During his time in the Kimberley, Ganur helped draft feedback on the Western Australian government’s Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy and the Australian Energy Market Operator’s draft integrated system plan, each of which drew government attention to the opportunities and risks associated with renewable energy development in and for Aboriginal communities.
He also assisted with the drafting of two upcoming conference papers regarding the opportunities and risks of renewable energy development for Aboriginal people, as well as helping to design a pair of practical guides for Prescribed Bodies Corporate and renewable energy developers in relation to the establishment and operation of wind and solar projects in Aboriginal communities.
Finally, Ganur drafted a working paper regarding the regulation of renewable energy development on native title land. The paper focuses on the fairness of the legislation currently governing renewable energy development on native title land and notes that they fail to attain the standard of ‘free, prior, and informed consent’ prescribed by international best practice. To remedy this failure, the paper recommends that the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwlth) should be amended to place less weight on economic and similar considerations when authorising the compulsory acquisition of native title for renewable energy development, or to prohibit the compulsory acquisition of native title generally, except for in certain exceptional circumstances. The paper will be submitted to the ANU’s Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research publications committee for review, with a view to publication soon.
Ganur’s internship at the KLC and the ANU was supported by the Aurora Foundation and funding from the ANU and the Lisa Wright Scholarship.