UPDATE:

As active supporters of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament we at Pollination are grateful for the invitation to walk with Australia’s First Peoples to create a better Australia. We join with Indigenous leaders who expressed their sadness in the decision to reject an Indigenous body that would have given advice to Parliament on issues relating to Indigenous Australians.

We will continue to listen to and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as they digest this outcome and regroup. We reiterate that we stand with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in support. Pollination will continue to advocate for an Australia that is more compassionate, and an Australia that priorities custodianship of our unique and wonderful lands, waters, seas and biodiversity. 

We’re proud to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament

Since our launch in 2019, the protection and stewardship of nature has been at the core of Pollination’s vision. First Nations have been the stewards of nature for millennia. Their deep knowledge of and special relationship with nature is imperative to its protection. Nature needs the voices of First Nations. That is why we support an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Globally, Indigenous people steward 80% of remaining biodiversity, and 54% of transition minerals lie on Indigenous land. Climate and nature solutions need to come from land custodians, and First Nations are the longest living custodians. They are the world’s first scientists, having navigated changes in climate, and mitigated extreme weather events through natural solutions, for millennia. First Nations people know what’s best for their Country.

At Pollination, we know a just transition will not be possible without First Nations taking a leading role. From the outset, we have elevated First Nations in our work. We created Pollination’s Foundation, with Indigenous leaders Nolan Hunter, Mikaela Jade and Janine Mohamed on our Board*. These leaders gave us a vision of what the just transition could be, and their voices echo throughout our work as a climate and nature advisory and investment firm.

“As Australia’s First Nations, we continue to centre our voices and collective wisdom into meaningful partnerships and climate adaptation strategies which deliver benefits for the nation, as a whole.” – Janine Mohamed

The Foundation has grown internal First Nations capability within Pollination, raising awareness of the connection between Caring for Country and the net-zero, nature positive transition. These origins built the foundations for Pollination to engage and influence on these issues and ideas within our client and investor base.

I’m proud to say we’ve just launched a game-changing large scale clean energy project in the East Kimberley where three First Nations organisations form the majority shareholding, a partnership model never before seen in the Australian landscape. One of the equal partners in this project, Kimberley Land Council, has been an active supporter of the Voice to Parliament, with their CEO, Tyronne Garstone active in the national dialogue. On the project, Tyronne says:

“We’re changing the way we work with corporate Australia… The opportunity for us to create a best practice model of partnership in our own backyard is too good an opportunity to miss.”

 

Today, our clients hear the echoes of these Indigenous leaders’ influence as we amplify their voices through our advisory and investment services. Clients seeking new business models are approaching us for First Nations tailored services to meet their nature and climate ambitions. We are proud that more and more First Nations people are choosing to work with us.

We are now supporting a growing number of Indigenous organisations to access and lead in the design of nature and climate solutions. First Nations voices have been an important part of our beginnings, but they’ll play an even more important role in our future.

An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution is a chance to combine Australia’s diverse wisdom to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises together.

*Visit Foundation Team – Pollination | Climate Change Investment & Advisory Firm (pollinationgroup.com) for more information about the Pollination Foundation Board.