Ways to Care for Country - World Environment Day Panel

2025 World Environment Day – “Ways to Care for Country”

 For World Environment Day this year, representatives from The Uniting Church in Australia, Wesley Mission Queensland and UnitingCare Queensland held a panel discussion, moderated by Simone Eias, Sustainability Manager at UnitingCare, exploring the theme “Ways to Care for Country”.

Fifty-five people attended Wesley House Brisbane in person including the Moderator, Synod Office staff, congregation members, and UnitingCare and Wesley Mission staff.  Thirty people also attended online.

The theme, “Ways to Care for Country,” emphasises the interconnectedness of climate justice, health, Indigenous knowledge, and personal responsibility. The discussion featured insights from Francis Nona, Dr. Adam Macintosh, and Jessica Powell, each bringing a unique perspective rooted in culture, faith, and frontline experience.

 

Simone Elias opened the discussion by grounding it in respect for First Nations custodianship and the spiritual significance of Country. She shared a quote that shaped her sustainability journey: “Caring for Country is a deep act of reconciliation… a deep act of walking with First Peoples.”

She emphasized that Country is not just land—it is a living entity, deserving of respect and care. Simone encouraged participants to find their “unique influence” in the climate conversation, stating:  “Every job is a climate/sustainability job.”

 

Francis Nona: Climate Justice and Cultural Survival

Francis Nona, a Torres Strait Islander nurse, health worker and academic, spoke passionately about the lived impacts of climate change on his community. He described the erosion of ancestral burial grounds and the failure of infrastructure to protect against rising seas.

“My ancestors’ bones are being picked up on the sand beach because the cemeteries are inundated with tidal flows.”

Francis framed climate change as a health crisis, especially for First Nations communities already facing systemic health disparities. He highlighted how heat and poor housing exacerbate conditions like cardiovascular disease, and how limited access to specialists compounds the problem.  “If you are leaving Torres Straits to go to Cairns to see a specialist” he said, ”you will come back in a box.”

He also emphasized the importance of Indigenous knowledge systems in shaping policy and adaptation strategies: “We don’t want tokenistic representation. We want to be part of the solution.”

Francis called for a shift from Western-centric frameworks to relational, Indigenous approaches, urging organisations to overcome “ontological limits”—the inability to act on problems they can see but don’t feel.

 

Rev Dr. Adam Macintosh: Faith, Ecology, and Flourishing Creation

 Rev Dr Adam Macintosh, General Secretary of the Queensland Synod, explored the theological dimensions of climate action. He described how belief systems shape our relationship with creation: “Love of God, love of neighbour, and love of creation—these are not separate. They are deeply connected.”

Adam discussed the Synod’s “Flourishing Creation” plan, which reframes climate action as a spiritual and communal responsibility. He emphasised structural interconnectedness—how social, health, and environmental systems are interwoven—and the need to move beyond dualistic thinking, particularly in the political context. “We must reframe from isolated issues to holistic frameworks. It’s all interconnected.”

He encouraged leaders to find their voice and act with courage and grit: “Know your why. Find your voice. And act with hope.”

 

Jessica Powell: Frontline Sustainability in Healthcare

 Jessica Powell, a clinical nurse and sustainability champion, shared practical insights from her work at Wesley Hospital. She described how small, thoughtful changes—like placing scissors near recycling bins—can reduce contamination and improve recycling outcomes.

She says: “At work, I’m a professional bin diver. I’ve forever got my head in every bin.” Her initiative to improve PVC recycling demonstrated how frontline staff can lead impactful change. She emphasized that sustainability should be embedded in every role, not treated as an afterthought: “It’s just everyday little changes as a collective… working as a group and being influenced by each other.”

Jess also highlighted the emotional and logistical barriers to sustainable behaviour in healthcare, such as time constraints and competing priorities. Her approach was empathetic and practical, showing how leadership can emerge from the ground up.

 

Collective Themes and Calls to Action

 Throughout the discussion, the panellists returned to several key themes:

• Custodianship: Caring for Country is a shared responsibility rooted in respect and relationship.
• Interconnectedness: Climate, health, culture, and spirituality are deeply linked.
• Empowerment: Everyone has a role to play, and leadership can come from any level.
• Hope and Action: Change begins with belief, courage, and small steps.

Francis closed with a powerful quote from Indigenous activist Annie Lee Watson: “If your liberation is bound up with mine, let’s work together.”

  

Rev. Taualo Penivao’s Closing Reflections

We were privileged to have Bishop Rev. Taualo Penivao, General Secretary of the EKT Church in Tuvalu, at the event, and he offered a poignant reflection from the perspective of a community already facing displacement by climate change. A treaty has already been signed by the Australian Government to relocate his people from Tuvalu due to rising seas, and he warned that others may soon face the same fate.  “We are not the first people who are facing the severe impact of climate change… maybe one day you will be on the move.”

He emphasized the cultural loss that comes with displacement: “We are culturally losing the land where we normally practice our culture. We have to practice it in a foreign land.”

Rev. Penivao called for immediate, collective action and innovation to address climate change. His message was both a warning and a call to unity: “We need a collective understanding to lead our people… to save climate change.”  He echoed Francis’s earlier sentiments, reinforcing the urgency and emotional weight of the climate crisis for First Nations communities.

 

Final Thoughts

The panel concluded with a quote from Wiradjuri river guide Richard Swain: “There are generations of people who consider themselves custodians of this country. But you’ve got to include yourself in that—you are part of that now.”

This event was not just a discussion—it was a call to action, a weaving of stories, knowledge, and hope. It reminded us all that caring for Country is not optional—it is a shared legacy and a collective future.

 

Watch the livestream of the event here:  https://ucaqld.com.au/advocacy-action/ways-to-care-for-country-2025-panel-discussion-live-stream-event/

 To discuss what actions you can take to care for Country, reach out to Emily Murray, the Synod’s Environmental Sustainability Specialist, at sustainability@ucaqld.com.au