Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I would like to highlight some of the important work being done by First Nations peoples to protect country through fire management. First Nations peoples have been undertaking traditional fire management for tens of thousands of years. Since colonisation and the removal of First Nations peoples from their land, we have seen the emergence of large, uncontrolled wildfires. These late-dry-season wildfires damage our ecosystems and habitats. In the last few decades we have seen the revival of traditional fire management practices in the Kimberley and across northern Australia. This includes the emergence of savanna-burning carbon projects. Unlike carbon capture and storage projects, which are unproven and haven't been shown to work anywhere, these savanna-burning carbon projects use First Nations knowledge and science. Savanna burning involves the lighting of cool fires in targeted areas during the early dry season, between March and July. These fires burn slowly, reduce fuel loads and create firebreaks. Indigenous rangers and traditional owners work to undertake early-dry-season burning to limit the extent of destructive late-dry-season wildfires. At the moment there are 32 First Nations owned and operated savanna fire projects, abating around one million tonnes of emissions a year. A massive seven per cent of Australia's total carbon credit units are produced by First Nations carbon businesses.

Northern Australian fire management is now recognised as world best practice. This is what happens when you lead with First Nations science and knowledge. Savanna-burning carbon projects come with substantial benefits for both people and planet. These range from allowing First Nations people to practice cultural burning techniques right through to the intergenerational exchange of traditional knowledge and practices. First Nations organisations involved in fire management also report an increase in their capacity to care for country, culture and communities as a result of their engagement in the carbon industry. These projects also provide hundreds of jobs for First Nations rangers, who are at the heart of traditional fire management practices.

At the same time, it's important to note that traditional fire management practices are not culturally appropriate everywhere. Whenever cultural burning is undertaken it needs to be done properly and scientifically, and it must be undertaken in line with the principles of free, prior and informed consent. In WA savanna-burning is used up north in the Kimberley, but it's less common down south in more populated areas. It's essential that the government and conservation groups work with First Nations people to co-design fire management plans that are culturally appropriate and work to improve the health of our habitats, our forests and our woodlands.

I'm proud to say the Greens are taking a caring-for-country planto the next election, which was recently launched by my colleague Senator Thorpe. We have a plan to strengthen laws to protect First Nations tangible and intangible heritage, expand Indigenous protected areas that are owned, cared for and managed by First Nations people, and triple the funding of First Nations ranger programs. This plan gives the resources to the people who know best. First Nations people have cared for lands and waters for tens of thousands of years. We have the wisdom and the knowledge to heal and care for our country. As we enter into summer, I hope that we can all learn to take time to listen to First Nations people when it comes to traditional fire management practices—where appropriate—because we cannot have climate justice without justice for First Nations people.