Queensland Senator Nita Green, Leichhardt Labor candidate Matt Smith, Torres Shire Council Mayor Elsie Seriat and Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson at the Cairns announcement of the $10.8 million in funding for Torres Strait climate adaptation activities. Photo: Chisa Hasegawa.
High tides, strong winds, corrosion and damaged infrastructure are just some of the consequences of climate change noticeable in the Torres Strait today, with community leaders claiming much of the region’s infrastructure will become unusable if action is not taken.
On 2 April, the Federal Government announced $10.8 million would be shared between Torres Shire Council, Torres Strait Island Regional Council and Gur A Baradharaw Kod Torres Strait Sea and Land Council Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal Corporation to help them better adapt to the impacts of climate change.
“Our island home is affected everywhere up in the Torres Strait,” Torres Shire Mayor Elsie Seriat said.
“Every day, we’re facing climate change that are happening in and around our community; our houses are going underwater, our wharves are going underwater from king tides, our international airport that’s situated in the jurisdiction of Torres Shire Council is at risk of closing down.
“We welcome this funding and this announcement, because it will allow us to create jobs in community to raise awareness for people in community around climate resilience and climate change.”
While there was limited detail about how the three organisations would spend the $10.8m, the Torres Strait leaders and Labor politicians spruiking the announcement said it would help educate community members and empower locals to make decisions for their own Country.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website states “adaptation actions” backed through the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) Climate Resilience Grant Program “might include community education on climate change science, protecting cultural values being impacted by climate change, collecting local knowledge on climate and developing regional climate adaptation actions” without specifying how recipients would actually acquit the millions in public funding provided, and what the projects would achieve in combatting climate change.
Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson, who was in Cairns to make the announcement, said the funding would be managed “with proper co-ordination and proper input and leadership from the communities that are affected”.
“The climate resilience grant program will deliver on-the-ground capacity in these communities, so you’ll end up with climate resilience officers that can lead education work, community engagement, project prioritisation, local problem-solving,” he told media.
“What this climate resilience funding is about is making sure that rather than doing it in a sort of hand-to-mouth ad hoc basis, we do it with proper co-ordination and proper input and leadership from the communities that are affected.”
The funding is part of a $15.9m program originally committed to the Torres Strait and NPA by the Albanese government at the 2022 federal, however, the Assistant Minister said it had been delayed to ensure community leaders were consulted through a “careful and proper process that was locally led”.
He assured that the funding would go ahead this time, regardless of the outcome of the 3 May election and the timing of the announcement during a campaign.
Torres Strait Island Regional Council chief executive officer James William said the funding was crucial in planning ahead and being transparent with community members.
“Communities have got a lot of built systems, and those systems, where they’re placed now may not be convenient and strategic in the long term, because you’ve got changes that are going to impact community now, well into 50 years, 100 years,” he said.
“If we don’t take our community members along in that journey, then you’re going to have massive challenges, socially, economically and environmentally.
“I think the challenge for us is how do we convene those conversations at a local level, using those climate warriors, working with community, working with various agencies and organisations to ensure we’re collecting data and building those foundations.
“Ultimately, we have to maintain the standards of living for our community members; there’s an obligation there, and without that type of investment, there’s no one to make those connections, community is left bewildered and confused about those changes and their possible impacts.”
Torres Shire Council CEO Dalassa Yorkston and Mayor Elsie Seriat, and Torres Strait Island Regional Council CEO James William celebrate organisations in the region sharing $10.8 million through the Federal Government’s Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Climate Resilience Grant Program. Photo: Chisa Hasegawa.
