{{Short description|Indigenous climate change organisation}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} '''Seed Mob''', officially '''Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd''' and also known simply as '''Seed''', is an independent [[Indigenous Australian|Indigenous]] youth climate network in Australia. Established in 2014, it is led by [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] and [[Torres Strait Islander]] young people and relies on donations by supporters and partners who align with their values. In 2018 Seed released the documentary film ''Water is Life'', which highlighted the dangers of [[fracking]] in the [[Northern Territory]].
== History == Seed, established in 2014, is Australia's first Indigenous youth climate network,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2020-12-03|title=Meet Seed Mob, Australia's First Indigenous Youth-Led Environmental Organisation |url=https://junkee.com/seed-mob-interview/280601|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Junkee|language=en-US}}</ref> co-founded by [[South Sea Islanders|South Sea Islander]] / [[Bundjalung people|Bundjalung]] woman Amelia Telford<ref name=hocking2020/><ref name=feed2020>{{Cite web|title=The young Indigenous woman fighting fracking in remote NT|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/the-young-indigenous-woman-fighting-fracking-in-remote-nt| date= 11 November 2020|access-date=2021-07-10|website=[[The Feed (Australian TV series)|The Feed]]|language=en}}</ref> and Larissa Baldwin-Roberts (who later became CEO of political activist group [[GetUp!]]),<ref>{{cite web | title=Segments: The Mission: GetUp CEO Larissa Baldwin-Roberts | website=Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio | date=1 August 2023 | url=https://www.rrr.org.au/on-demand/segments/the-mission-getup-ceo-larissa-baldwin-roberts | access-date=19 August 2023 | archive-date=19 August 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819072213/https://www.rrr.org.au/on-demand/segments/the-mission-getup-ceo-larissa-baldwin-roberts | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Larissa Baldwin-Roberts | website=AEGN | date=8 April 2024 | url=https://www.aegn.org.au/speaker/larissa-baldwin-roberts/ | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Larissa Baldwin-Roberts | website=[[Q+A (Australian talk show)|Q+A]] | date=19 September 2023 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/qanda/larissabaldwin-roberts-2023/102861158 | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref> initially as a branch of the [[Australian Youth Climate Coalition]].<ref name=medianet2021>{{Cite web|title=Seed Mob to be first Indigenous youth-led environmental organisation|url=https://www.medianet.com.au/releases/194683/|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Medianet|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref name=hocking2020>{{cite web | last=Hocking | first=Rachael | title='First Nations are rising': Seed Mob goes independent | website=NITV | date=1 December 2020 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/first-nations-are-rising-seed-mob-goes-independent/xi7hd4w3z | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>
Telford was [[NAIDOC]] Youth of the Year in 2014, when she was Indigenous Coordinator for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, and planning to expand the Indigenous program to train and mentor around 50 Indigenous young people across the country.<ref>{{cite web | title=Amelia Telford | website=NAIDOC | url=https://www.naidoc.org.au/awards/winner-profiles/amelia-telford | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref> She was also awarded [[Bob Brown]]'s 2015 Young Environmentalist for the Year award, and ''[[Australian Geographic]]'' Young Conservationist of the Year in 2015.<ref>{{cite web | title=Amelia Telford | website=World Science Festival Brisbane | date=24 May 2024 | url=https://www.worldsciencefestival.com.au/speakers/amelia-telford | access-date=29 May 2024 | archive-date=29 May 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529082120/https://www.worldsciencefestival.com.au/speakers/amelia-telford | url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2018, Seed released the documentary short film ''Water is Life'', which showed the dangers of fracking in the [[Northern Territory]]. It was filmed over two years and funded by supporters. The team travelled to [[North Dakota]], US, where they talked to [[Native Americans in the United States|native American]] community member Kandi Mosset, who is featured in the film showing how fracking has impacted their community since its inception in 2006. In the film, community leaders in [[Borroloola]] relate the impact of climate change on [[bush food]]s, among other things.<ref>{{cite web | last=Nicol | first=Emily | title=Water Is Life: SEED release documentary about the dangers of fracking in NT | website=NITV | date=25 April 2018 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/water-is-life-seed-release-documentary-about-the-dangers-of-fracking-in-nt/t6t8as1no | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{vimeo|261023308|Water Is Life}} 25:48m</ref>
In August 2020, Seed became an independent entity, registered with the [[ACNC]] as Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd.<ref>{{cite web | title=Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd | website=ACNC | url=https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/67c32eb1-cd11-ec11-b6e5-002248100643/profile | access-date=29 May 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240529062208/https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/67c32eb1-cd11-ec11-b6e5-002248100643/profile| archive-date= 29 May 2024| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=hocking2020/><ref name=medianet2021/> With the new status, the board would comprise only First Nations people, and the number of paid staff was increased.<ref name=hocking2020/>
==Description== Seed Mob is an Indigenous youth climate network in Australia,<ref name=":0"/> led by [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] and [[Torres Strait Islander]] young people.<ref name=medianet2021/> It does not accept government funding, and all potential donors are screened to ensure that their support aligns with Seed's values. It relies heavily on funding by community members.<ref name=hannon2022/>
Co-founder Amelia Telford,<ref name=feed2020/><ref name=hocking2020/> is {{as of|lc=yes|2021}} its national director.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Our Team|url=https://www.seedmob.org.au/our_team|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Seed|language=en|archive-date=10 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710030553/https://www.seedmob.org.au/our_team|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{as of|2024}} Ivan Ingram is chair of the organisation.<ref>{{cite web | title=Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd | website=ACNC | url=https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/67c32eb1-cd11-ec11-b6e5-002248100643/people | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>
Its aims "to build the skills, confidence, and networks of young First Nations people to protect our land, water and future from the impacts of climate change", and amplify First Nations communities' voices in order to lead to solutions to reduce the impact of [[climate change in Australia]].<ref name=hannon2022>{{cite web | last=Hannon | first=Kellie | title=Invest: In the Future with Seed Mob | website=Maurie and Eve | date=23 July 2022 | url=https://www.maurieandeve.com/blogs/journal/invest-in-the-future-with-seed-mob | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>
Seed Mob relies on its network of volunteers, who work to protect country from [[fossil fuel]] extraction on sacred land, and support other groups working in [[climate change activism]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Reid | first=Georgina | title=Meet the Seed Mob | website=Wonderground | date=9 June 2016 | url=https://wonderground.press/people/seed-climate-network/ | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>
==Campaigns and activism== Seed has supported other activist groups, such as joining in a [[flotilla]] action by the [[Pacific Climate Warriors]] in 2014, blocking the [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] coal port for a full day.<ref name=hocking2020/>
In 2017, Seed, then in an alliance of 13 environmental groups as part of the [[Australian Youth Climate Coalition]], was successful, after a three-year campaign targeting Australia's [[Big Four (banking)| four largest banks]] to rule out funding the [[Adani coal mine]] in [[Queensland]] (now the [[Stop Adani]] campaign), in getting [[Westpac]] to change their policies.<ref>{{cite web | title=How a 3 year campaign moved Westpac to rule out new coal basins | website=Stop Adani | date=1 August 2018 | url=https://www.stopadani.com/how_a_3_year_campaign_moved_westpac | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=An incredible moment for the #StopAdani campaign. | via=Free Online Library | date=2017 |author=[[Australian Conservation Foundation]] | url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/An+incredible+moment+for+the+%23StopAdani+campaign-a0510482303 | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-04-28|title=Big four banks distance themselves from Adani coalmine as Westpac rules out loan|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/apr/28/big-four-banks-all-refuse-to-fund-adani-coalmine-after-westpac-rules-out-loan|access-date=2021-07-10|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Big four banks distance themselves from Adani coalmine as Westpac rules out loan | website=Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | date=28 April 2017 | url=https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/big-four-banks-distance-themselves-from-adani-coalmine-as-westpac-rules-out-loan/ | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>
By 2017 the group was holding regular protests in [[Canberra]], including one in which hundreds of lanterns spelt out "Land Rights not Mining Rights" on the lawns of [[Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House]].<ref name=hocking2020/>
Since [[Origin Energy]] announced plans to start gas [[fracking]] in the [[Beetaloo Basin]] in the [[Northern Territory]] in November 2019, Seed has been campaigning against the company's plans.<ref name=feed2020 /> It produced a film about the campaign called ''Water is Life'' in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Water is Life|url=https://nt.seedmob.org.au/film|access-date=2021-07-10|website=Protect Country, Ban Fracking|language=en|archive-date=10 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710034743/https://nt.seedmob.org.au/film|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2020, the group supported [[Gomeroi]] Traditional Owners in [[New South Wales]] in to protest against recent approval of [[Santos Limited|Santos]]' gas project in [[Narrabri]], which planned to drill 850 wells in the [[Pilliga forest]] in north-central NSW. Thousands marched across the country to oppose the {{AUD|3.6}} billion project.<ref name=hocking2020/>
==Media and global impact== Since their 2018 documentary ''Water is Life'', the title has become a widely-shared slogan across the world.<ref name=hocking2020/>
In 2019, Hollywood star [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] shared a photo on [[Instagram]] of the group staging a sit-in at [[Parliament House, Canberra]], calling for the cessation of [[fracking]], [[coal mining]] and [[water sharing]].<ref name=hocking2020/>
==Partners== Seed has investment partnerships with businesses whose values align with the organisation, such as [[Bank Australia]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Partners | website=Seed | date=1 August 2018 | url=https://www.seedmob.org.au/partners | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Climate action with Seed: amplifying young Indigenous voices | website=Bank Australia | date=29 May 2024 | url=https://www.bankaust.com.au/seed-climate-partnership | access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official|https://www.seedmob.org.au/}}
[[Category:Climate change organisations based in Australia]] [[Category:Youth-led organizations]] [[Category:2014 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:Indigenous organizations]]