On Thursday October 9, The Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT, together with Uniting NSW.ACT, hosted a Community Talanoa at Blacktown Uniting Church in Western Sydney, bringing together Pacific Climate Ministers, local Pasifika community members, and Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen MP.
The Talanoa—a traditional Pacific form of dialogue grounded in storytelling, respect, and shared understanding—provided space for open and heartfelt conversations about the lived realities of climate change across the Pacific region and in Australia.
Speaking on ABC Pacific Beat earlier that day, Moderator Rev. Faaimata Havea Hiliau highlighted the significance of creating this kind of dialogue. “Holding a Talanoa allows Pacific voices to be heard authentically,” she said. “It’s not just about policies or targets—it’s about people, families, and communities who are already being affected.”
Throughout the event, members of the Pasifika community shared powerful personal accounts of how rising sea levels, stronger cyclones, and unpredictable weather patterns are disrupting livelihoods and displacing families. Their testimonies underscored the central truth that, while climate change affects everyone, its impacts are felt most severely by those least responsible for it.
Rev. Havea Hiliau urged that the time for decisive action is now. “We must change course urgently,” she said. “As always, it is the most vulnerable who bear the greatest weight of harmful climate impacts.”
Minister Bowen acknowledged the moral and practical urgency of the issue, noting that the Pacific’s experiences must guide Australia’s approach to climate policy. He affirmed the government’s commitment to working alongside Pacific nations to advance a fair and effective global response.
The Talanoa reflected the Uniting Church’s deep and enduring connection with Pacific communities, many of whom are already navigating the realities of climate-induced displacement and loss. For the Church, climate justice is inseparable from faith and solidarity.
“We continue to stand alongside our Pacific family,” Rev. Havea Hiliau said. “We call for urgent and just climate action, and for Australia to play a meaningful role in global solutions.”
The Talanoa closed in the same spirit it began—with mutual respect, shared hope, and a renewed determination to act together for a more sustainable and compassionate future.
🎧 Listen to Rev. Faaimata Havea Hiliau’s full interview on ABC Pacific Beat (from 8:13): tinyurl.com/3y3vzkbd
