Last Thursday, YIMBA was pleased to present at Austrade’s webinar “Introduction to Engaging with First Nations in the Energy Transition.”

Our Managing Director, Damien Barnes, joined Brian Bero from Jaramer Legal to share practical insights on engaging meaningfully and equitably with First Nations groups across Australia’s energy sector.

Brian spoke about the value of early engagement, co-designing projects, and benefit sharing, including approaches to quantifying benefits and structuring equity and financing opportunities.

Damien discussed the importance of building communication and trust throughout the project lifecycle, the legal and social licence requirements that underpin Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and how to meet procurement, employment and upskilling commitments. He also addressed what it means to deliver on agreements in practice, including through to decommissioning.

Meaningful engagement based on trust, partnership and FPIC is essential for achieving sustainable, long-term outcomes in Australia’s clean energy future.