Claire G Coleman: Listen to Indigenous voices on climate and Country

Noongar writer Claire G Coleman argues that Indigenous knowledge systems, encoded in stories passed down for tens of thousands of years, offer critical insights into climate change and land stewardship. She notes that climate change has disrupted the ancient order of Australia, causing natural signals to fall out of sequence. Coleman emphasizes that all of Australia is Indigenous land and that climate activism and policy must engage Indigenous voices, not ignore them. She points to the failure of the Voice to Parliament Referendum as evidence of Australia's systemic refusal to listen. Writing for the arts sector, she calls on cultural institutions to use their platforms to elevate Indigenous perspectives. The federal government is accepting submissions until 24 May for a review of the national cultural policy, and Coleman urges submissions recommending that climate be added to the policy. Coleman is a founding collaborator at Creative Climate and author of several books including 'Terra Nullius'.