The Saltwater People’s Alliance (SPA) is a national initiative formed with the objective of supporting First Nations’ People (FNP) in opposing offshore fossi...
Friends of the Earth
Saltwater People’s Alliance – Leveraging the capacity of First Nations groups to oppose fossil fuel developments
GOAL
$70,000
australia > NATIONWIDE > Metro and regional
01/07/2024 > 30/06/2025
FIELD OF INTEREST
- First Nations communities
TARGET POPULATION
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- Flora / fauna
PROJECT SUMMARY
The Saltwater People’s Alliance (SPA) is a national initiative formed with the objective of supporting First Nations’ People (FNP) in opposing offshore fossil fuel developments. Currently FNP groups in key offshore exploration, production and development areas face an overwhelming cycle of consultations, often presented in jargon and designed to intimidate and silence. They do so in isolation from each other and often the workload to represent the best interests of their communities will fall to one or two people who may not have capacity or the necessary background knowledge to give these projects the attention they require proportionate to their likely impact. This overwhelms individuals in community, can lead to friction within communities and with neighbour groups and foments an environment in which proponent companies can avoid the scrutiny their projects deserve. We currently employ one Traditional Custodian on 0.6 EFT on a six month contract and aim to be in a position to employ two people on 0.8 EFT ongoingly.
Since inception, we have:
- Engaged a web developer and graphic designer to develop our logo and style guide and look forward to launching our website in early July.
- Submitted to several Federal Government and industry consultations.
- Strengthened our networks to include Saltwater representatives in several key locations nationally and our numbers continue to grow.
- Held one online and one hybrid meeting of Saltwater Traditional Custodians and Whale Dreaming Custodians from several First Nations Groups nationally.
- Engaged a team of students from RMIT to undertake a research project of First Nations groups internationally that have been impacted by seismic blasting operations and other invasive fossil fuel projects. This report is in its final stages and will be publicly available in the coming months.
After consolidating in so-called Australia, we hope to extend the work of SPA with other First Nations People resisting fossil fuel developments in their traditional waters, to create an international solidarity movement place FNP voices centre stage in saving oceans and climate from destructive imbalance.
We aim to secure ongoing funding of $200,000/year to employ two part time staff members and have additional for administrative, travel and accommodation costs.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
Saltwater People aims to:
- Provide a glossary of industry terms for reference by FNPs when engaging in consultations.
- Offer a centralised source of report backs from FNPs who are engaged in consultations to foster information sharing and exchange of tactics.
- Tell the (shareable) stories of Sea Country to a broader “Australian” population.
- Better inform Government and community understanding of the cultural relevance and meaning of sea country, songlines and their importance to community and healthy environments.
- Foster cultural grounding within and between communities through the telling of sea country stories including use of language in describing cultural values.
We do this by:
- Forming relationships with Traditional Whale Custodians and Sea Country story tellers in different First Nations groups nationally, particularly those in areas directly impacted by offshore industrialisation
- Coordinating meetings and lines of communication between these First Nation group participants/members
- Maintaining updated records of offshore titles for fossil fuel exploration, production and storage projects
- Notify relevant First Nations groups when a new offshore project is under consideration in their traditional Sea Country
- Developing a glossary of terms used in consultations and providing plain English versions of consultation process pathways including points of First Nation representatives engagement and intervention
- Building and maintaining a team of legal experts to help advise SPA members where relevant
- Developing a website stating the claim of First Nations People to their traditional Sea Country and making clear their opposition to polluting offshore projects. This website will include a member only area with meeting minutes, and shared work opposing offshore fossil fuel developments.
- Recording stories of songlines and sea country, and sharing those which are appropriate to be shared with the broader community
Friends of the Earth
Saltwater People's Alliance currently operates as a national project under auspice of Friends of the Earth Australia (FOE).
Friends of the Earth Australia is a community based grassroots organisation that is actively working towards an environmentally and socially just world. We believe that social and environmental justice are inextricably linked and we have a strong focus on working in alliances with others in the environmental and social justice movements and with organisations in the broader community. We approach our work from a climate and social justice frame; organising in a way that empowers individuals and communities.
The Saltwater People's Alliance (SPA) is directed by a working group led by a coalition of actors:
Freja Leonard (Organisational Coordinator) - No More Gas campaign coordinator at Friends of the Earth Melbourne
Yaaran Bundle-Couzens (Cultural Coordinator) - Gunditjmara singer/story keeper/activist and keeper of the Koontapool (Southern Right Whale) dreaming stories.
Vicki Couzens (Cultural Advisor) - Gunditjimara woman, Senior Knowledge Custodian for Possum Skin Cloak Story & Language Reclamation and Revival in her Kerray Woorroong Mother Tongue & Vice Chancellors Indigenous Research Fellow at RMIT University
Robert Bundle (International Ambassador) - CEO of Songlines, Victoria's peak Aboriginal music body
Jack Pascoe (Advisor)- Yuin Man & Senior Research Fellow in the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences at University of Melbourne
Our work is guided by the following principles:
Anti-hierarchical: Everyone has a voice and nobody sits above or below anyone else. This principle acknowledges cultural hierarchies and does not wish to impose upon these, however, everyone participating understands that our group contains a diversity of views, experiences and skills and we all have a unique part to play in the shared work.
Independent: We do not take money from extractive industry or governments to maintain our independence and remain free of influence from those businesses and decision makers.
Supporting culture: Underpinning every decision we make is the responsibility to support, respect, maintain and celebrate cultural connection. We work respectfully with the laws and lores of First Nations People and their communities.
Transparent: All decision making and deliberations within the group are done transparently and openly.
Energising: Standing up to big businesses and their supporters can (and is often designed to) be draining and demoralising. It is important that we support ourselves and each other and bring our best joy to our work. If we approach this work with optimism and lift each other up we and those around us feel better. We are also more likely to keep members engaged and this will give us the best chance of winning against the huge fossil fuel goliaths.
Respectful: All communication must be respectful of ourselves, each other and the planet as a whole. If something is said that you don’t agree with address the idea, don’t attack the person.
BUDGET BREAKDOWN
TOTAL BUDGET: $200,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Philanthropic funds (confirmed) | $80,000 |
| Grants (unconfirmed) | $50,000 |
| Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $70,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wages (1.5 EFT) | $156,814 |
| Website domain & maintenance | $3,186 |
| Travel & accomodation | $10,000 |
| Administration | $30,000 |
Support Saltwater People’s Alliance – Leveraging the capacity of First Nations groups to oppose fossil fuel developments
Got a question about this project or ready to contribute? Contact us.
DOES YOUR PROJECT NEED FUNDING TOO?
As a broker of change, we invite social change initiatives to apply for funding. Eligible proposals are shared with our giving community via our Granting Opportunities directory.