The convincing re-election of the Albanese government signals that Australians want to see action on climate justice, and on policies that improve social cohesion and community wellbeing. But the CLP seems to be leading the NT in the opposite direction, based on its budget and new policy positions. The 2025 federal election followed the second hottest summer on record in Australia. Communities across the Territory have felt these impacts more than most, with the latest monsoon onset ever recorded in the Top End, through to the hottest summer on record for Alice Springs, with an average maximum temperature of 39.6C in the 100 days between December 1, 2024 andMarch 10, 2025.
These severe and increasingly more dangerous climate change impacts are further driving high levels of social inequity across our communities, with extreme weather and disaster events already impacting the economy, health and wellbeing. Recent research shows that 50-75 per cent of Aboriginal households in remote areas of the Territory live below the poverty line, leaving the communities in these areas highly susceptible to harm from these climate change impacts, while under-resourced and with little ability to influence change.
Standing in the way of progress though is the continued approvals of new fossil fuel projects. Deep and sustained cuts to emissions are essential to limiting the severity of future climate impacts.
Limits to adaptation are already being reached, and some communities face fundamental limits to adaptation. There is an urgent need for drastic emissions reductions to prevent the most extreme and irreversible consequences of climate change – expanding fossil fuel extraction flies in the face of that. The NT’s CLP government promised the electorate that they would uphold their party’s commitment to net zero by 2050 should they win the 2024 election.
Less than 12 months later, the party has abandoned its own 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030 target, and now as of mid-June, their net-zero goals have also been officially removed from the CLP platform as well. Given that one of the first things the CLP government did was to remove the Department of Climate Change entirely, this now-broken promise to constituents never seemed to be taken seriously. It is therefore even more imperative that with the re-election of the federal Labor government, election promises are upheld. In particular, the commitment to lower the prices of 30 household goods across NT remote communities to ensure that pricing is consistent with what those living in the cities pay is a critically important and long overdue policy that addresses food security, health, poverty alleviation and climate justice. Aboriginal people living in communities and homelands often have to pay at least double the cost for essential items. This injustice is further exacerbated by extreme weather-related disaster events, which are common across the Territory, and bring significant impacts to food security. The high costs associated with food supplychains in remote areas, coupled with overburdened, expensive, and ageing energy infrastructure, frequently result in food unavailability and spoilage due to power outages. The high costs of sourcing food, and replacing spoilt food, add yet another layer of disadvantage. Strong federal leadership in this space can make a significant difference to the everyday lives of communities and families.
We also welcome ongoing investment in renewable energy. The Albanese government’s commitment to 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030, and a 30 per cent reduction to the cost of solar batteries, align with the increasing demand for solar power even as renewable targets are wound back. The Territory has the highest average levels of solar irradiance on Earth – we live where the sun’s rays are most extreme – and both rooftop and stand-alone solar systems offer cheaper, clean, reliable energy.
Increasing investment in community-owned solar across the Northern Territory, spearheaded by organisations such as Original Power, is also helping to foster self-determination.
Most of Jesuit Social Services’ work in the Northern Territory is centred on climate, young people, and communities. Communities and families, and young people in particular, are increasingly concerned about the impact of climate change. Place-based approaches allows us to work from the ground up, fostering self-determination, in order to help build thriving and resilient communities.
Given the impacts of climate change that are being experienced, we will continue to call for a commitment from all parties to increase investment in disaster resilience, with a dedicated funding stream to strengthen disaster resilience in vulnerable communities, including those communities disproportionately impacted by extreme heat.
Jesuit Social Services are hopeful that targeted government policy will help to alleviate some of the extreme impacts of climate change facing communities across the Territory, and we will continue to work alongside communities from the ground up to foster change.
Dr Ned Bible is the climate justice project officer for Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places.
This piece was originally published in the NT News on June 28, 2025.
