Australia’s largest fire forum calls for proper long-term funding of ICIN and NAFI

At the 2025 7^th North Australia Savanna Fire Forum, Indigenous leaders and Forum attendees called for proper long-term funding for the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network (ICIN), as well as the North Australia Fire Information Service (NAFI).

Australia’s largest fire forum, which included 500 delegates - including Indigenous ranger groups who travelled from hundreds of kilometres away to be there - and representatives from 110 organisations, welcomed an address from the Assistant Minister for Climate Change the Hon Josh Wilson MP.

In his address the Assistant Minister said:

Because the Government rightly recognises that the early and genuine engagement of Indigenous people is crucial to the success of projects on-Country, I will announce today that we will remove the ability to conditionally register carbon projects on Native Title Lands, producing a requirement to demonstrate Native Title Holder consent prior to project registration… I really want to pay credit to ICIN for running a dedicated First Nations consultation to help inform this change to legislation,” said Assistant Minister Josh Wilson MP.

ICIN Co-Chair and Forum MC Cissy Gore-Birch OAM welcomed the Assistant Minister’s announcement however highlighted the current distinct and surprising lack of long-term funding for ICIN. In her closing statement Cissy Gore-Birch OAM stated:

For Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) to become commonplace, Governments must provide funding to Indigenous groups and organisations to engage in consultation and agreement making.”

Assistant Minister the Hon Josh Wilson MP also recognised the forum’s critical role, stating:

The Forum has a track record as a place where modern science and time-tested traditional First nations knowledge converge. It brings together the best of First Nations practice in fire management and provides crucial insights into how we can better manage Australia’s savanna landscapes and therefore achieve much-needed emissions reductions.”

At the Fire Forum Indigenous Fire Managers from across the north reported back on their efforts to the full auditorium, through videos, maps and photos of savanna fire management projects in-action. Groups included Batavia Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Bardi Jawi Rangers, Nyul Nyul Rangers, Gooniyandi Rangers, Karrajarri Rangers and many more.

Bobby Bowie, Ranger, Batavia Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation said:

Fire burning has been a practice we have been doing for many years. We have all learnt different ways to burn, at the end of the day it means many different things to us. Burning helps us show our skills that have been handed down for generations. It helps us keep our culture strong, keep our Country clean, and it helps feed our plants and our wildlife. It helps merge the old techniques and modern techniques. It helps two different worlds come together as one."

For the first time the Forum has hosted a Youth Yarning Session, focusing on opportunities today and into the future within savanna fire management. Youth ranger, from Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation, Marlie Gillette said:

Savanna fire management for us young people is learning from all the old people, learning about all the different cultures, and how people work differently, and the different terrains people work on, and it’s good to learn how they work.”

This year’s Forum successfully ran its first offsite controlled burn facilitated by aerial ignition drones at the Hughes Airstrip. Luke Russ, Fire Ranger, Willingin Aboriginal Corporation, hosted the demonstration with the R4 drone machine, sharing his knowledge, passion and what the future could look like for drone-based cool burns on Country.

We’re all used to sitting in forums and meetings and exchanging ideas but everyone’s attention span is only so limited. So to get out there and see some hands-on stuff and actually watch the guys at work and see it happening in real-time, it’s a lot more enriching for the attendees,” said Luke Russ from Hughes Airstrip.

Further offsite workshops at the Forum included a practical session on the identification and management of the introduced weed gamba grass as part of fire regimes.

Further photographs from Day One, Two and Three of the Forum and a daily wrap videos from Day One, Two and Three can be provided. Please contact Clare Price / 0490252743, [email protected] for further information.

Photo: Cissy Gore-Birch OAM addressing the Forum.