The Western Australian Council of Social Service Inc. (WACOSS) welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia on the Inquiry into Energy, Food and Water Security.
Northern WA – known for its pristine coastline, remote landscape, and booming natural resource sector – commonly refers to the Pilbara (East & West) and Kimberley regions of Western Australia (WA).
This area is vast, covering over 93,1413 square kilometres, and is home to approximately 74,446 permanent residents. A high proportion of residents in Northern WA are Aboriginal.
Despite the significant wealth within these regions, and the significant contribution of the Pilbara and Kimberley to WA’s economy, experiences of energy, water and food insecurity are common. Households in regional and remote WA are 30 per cent more likely to experience food insecurity than those in capital cities.
While there are many factors, including the ongoing impacts of colonisation, which make residents of Northern WA more susceptible to food, energy and water insecurity, two key drivers are the vast nature of the region and disproportionately high rates of economic disadvantage.
