I am a product of ancestors who thought beyond themselves. They dreamed of the places we would journey to and thrive. My family spread out from Tonga to various parts of the world, and my parents brought us here, to Australia.
Here, we have had opportunities to grow, to learn and to earn a living. We brought the dream of our ancestors and we conquered sports, art and culture. In the sports arena, athletes of Pacific heritage have become household names, with up to 50 percent of the Wallabies squad consistently being Pacific Islanders. We have built our cities and cared for our societies, with the highest industry of employment for Pacific Islanders in Australia being the health care and social assistance industry, followed by construction and manufacturing. These essential services have been nurtured and built by the calloused hands of our Pacific people, all while we care for the wellbeing of our villages and homes across the ocean. Our communities have embodied the values of family, community, and resilience – values shared by many Australians. As the federal election approaches, Pacific communities – and all Australians – have the opportunity to ensure an outcome that safeguards our shared future, both here in Australia, and in our islands back home. We have the opportunity to take the care we put into sports, industry and infrastructure, and ask that politicians put that same care into prioritizing our survival; and protecting our people – all of them.
The climate crisis is an existential threat to the Pacific. Rising sea levels, intensifying cyclones, and ocean acidification are already displacing communities, destroying livelihoods, and eroding our cultural heritage. As a Tongan, I have seen how climate change is not a distant threat but a present reality. It is also a cost of living crisis, both for us here in Australia and the rest of the Pacific. While saltwater inundation threatens the crops of our islands, food prices in Australia have risen by 20 percent since 2020 as changed weather patterns have impacted food production and, in some areas, permanently affected a region’s ability to grow particular crops.
Australia, as one of the world’s largest per capita emitters and a major fossil fuel exporter, has a moral responsibility to lead on climate action. The current government’s bid to host next year’s U.N. climate conference is an opportunity to demonstrate this leadership, but hosting a conference is not enough. Australia must back its international commitments with ambitious domestic policies that align with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
A just transition to renewable energy here in Australia presents an enormous opportunity to create green jobs that will ensure no one is left behind. Altogether, industries associated with clean energy and the transition to net zero are likely to generate around 1.2 million jobs by 2050. As we shift away from dangerous, outdated, and unreliable fossil fuels, those of us working in the mining industry must be supported through retraining and job placement programs that prioritize equity and inclusion, ensuring that all communities in Australia benefit from the vast opportunities clean energy presents.
Strong climate policies can also alleviate the cost-of-living pressures all Australians are currently facing. A report from Australia’s Climate Council found that households with rooftop solar and battery storage can save an average of $1,500 annually on energy bills. By voting for representatives that promote investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, we can reduce energy costs, improve energy accessibility, and create a more equitable society.
But Australia’s current climate targets under the Paris Agreement are insufficient to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. As a high-income country, with abundant renewable energy resources, we must set more ambitious targets and take concrete steps to achieve them. This includes phasing out coal and gas exports, investing in renewable energy infrastructure, and supporting climate adaptation efforts in the Pacific.
For Pacific Islanders in Australia, this election is about more than just domestic policy. It’s about the survival of our islands, our cultures, and our people. By voting for candidates and parties that prioritize our access to renewable energy here in Australia as well as climate action, we can send a powerful message: the voices of Pacific Islanders matter. Our futures are intertwined, and we have an opportunity here to co-create it together.
It is time we remember the dreams of our ancestors and dream even further, for the wellbeing of our families and the future of families we may never meet. And I hope that one day our descendants may look back and speak of us as ancestors that not only dreamed, but acted. We can ensure that Australia takes meaningful action to address the climate crisis, supports a just transition to renewable energy, and stands in justice and solidarity with the Pacific – our future, our children, our survival.
