SWIOID Review Meeting #1 Recap: First Nations Advisory Group – Inaugural Meeting (30 Oct 2025)
The First Nations Advisory Group (FNAG) met for the first time on 30 October 2025 at Boomanulla Oval in Canberra, bringing together representatives from the Wolgalu, Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri, Ngambri and Ngarigo nations.
Over a full day the group:
Set out the government context for the review and how First Nations will be engaged beyond one-off consultation.
Clarified the role of the FNAG – to centre cultural values in the review, inform decisions with Traditional knowledge, and provide genuine authority and continuity of advice.
Agreed on ways of working, including regular, consensus-based meetings, member remuneration, an FNAG SharePoint space, culturally appropriate processes and ensuring dissenting views are recorded.
Discussed river health, including the impact of Tantangara Dam capturing more than 90% of flows and the resulting environmental decline.
Spoke about cultural values and water rights – the inseparability of water, identity and food security, historical exclusion from decisions, and the need to recognise cultural flows as rights-based, not just environmental add-ons.
Reviewed the SWIOID context and Snowy Hydro’s role, including Snowy 2.0 and concerns about environmental impacts across connected catchments.
Immediate actions included sharing presentations and the agenda, revising terminology in the Terms of Reference, setting up a workplan and calendar, and starting cultural values mapping. Ongoing tasks include gathering community feedback and highlighting FNAG’s priorities for the Review Panel. Members also requested shorter, more flexible meetings, more virtual options, on-Country meetings with the Panel and field trips following the river downstream. (All drawn from the FNAG Meeting 1 infographic below)
Image: FNAG Meeting 1 infographic
The next FNAG meeting is scheduled for 28 November 2025.
Learn more about the SWIOID review decision-making process here.