WA Climate Leaders

“A Triumph!”
“That was EXTRAORDINARY. Well done.”
“Powerful energy in the audience.”
“Today was incredible.”

A few of the messages we received during and post the first event in Everyone’s Climate Series: When She Leads on Sunday afternoon at Subiaco Arts Centre. There was no blueprint for this event – we just want to find ways for more people to feel they can be in the climate conversation in WA – so as a consequence the schedule unfolded with its own agenda.

The shape of When She Leads came to me as a full download when I was making a salad one evening at the kitchen bench, despairing that I was too late to make the event happen for the second weekend in March.

In the following days, one after another, people said yes and the plan became real very quickly. Yet it was only here with about twenty people in the green room in the minutes before we started, that I realised the life and energy of the gathering was beyond its individual parts.

As the music went down and the huge audience vibes audience were temporarily suppressed, we heard the voice of Christiana Figueres speaking about her definition of optimism and her choice to remain active and optimistic for the sake of future generations.

Then our new generation took to the stage as Corroboree for Life, guided by Ash Penfold raised the energy right to the roof as the ancestors welcomed us into the space.

Our beloved Gina Williams Ghouse AM shared how she wondered at the invitation to be part of a climate event at first and then found the answer within, recognising the link between preservation of country and culture.

Each speaker lifted, sobered, enlightened and motivated. Professor Fiona Stanley AC roused us with her straight shooting reality check, climate and anti-racism activist Stephanie McGuire centred us with her depth and her beautiful poetry, Sisonke Msimang brought such nuance and delicacy to the importance of story, Sabrina Hahn spoke of her learning from indigenous women in the Kimberley and the key role gardeners already play in recognising climate impacts, and Solutions for Climate WA director Jess Panegyres brought it home with the optimism of knowing we have solutions and that WA is in a good position to save the places we love and sustain a good life for future generations.

We were unprepared for the heavenliness of Felicity Groom and her amazing band Bridget Turner, Jess Carlton and Bree Reynolds and after a quick wrap with the speakers we ate great food from Gather Foods and heard women in music for International Women’s Day from the iconic duo of original presenters of RTRFM’s Drastic on Plastic Jane Armstrong and Lorraine Clifford.

We went home when they kicked us out, hearts full and with renewed intent.
Presented in partnership with for Climate WA
https://www.solutionsforclimatewa.net/
Pics here by the remarkable Marnie Richardson – if you’re sharing please credit her.
Thanks again to Subiaco Arts Centre team
And my biggest thanks to the WA Climate Leaders board Aimee Smith Lily Jovic Amy Steel and Amilia Bakhtiar

Happy New Year fam.

More to come soon, but put the afternoon of Sunday March 8, 2026 in your diary for the first of a series of big events for 2026. The conversation about climate leadership for future generations in WA ramps up.

Image by

You're all gorgeous.

Thanks for the most amazing turnout (over 380 with door sales) at the Octagon last night for the discussion with Wilkinson on her Essay "Woodside vs The Planet" alongside Kate Chaney MP and Jessica Panegyres.

The positive feedback has been unbelievable and while I'll leave the assessment to those who witnessed it, I wanted to share the photo gallery from Richardson Photographer - please use freely and attribute generously.

Images from Woodside vs the Planet event:
https://marnierichardson.pixieset.com/woodsidevtheplanet/highlights/
Download PIN 7745

Comes a time when we have to get off our couches and find out WTF is going on in our state, and next Tuesday night is a good example.

For many years, distinguished investigative journalist Marian Wilkinson has been following the story of Australia's stumbling efforts to step up to the challenges of climate change.

Those who have read her 2020 book The Carbon Club, will know the rigour she applies to finding evidence for the story she lays out. Five years to the day after publishing that book, Marian released Quarterly Essay 99: Woodside vs The Planet - How a Company Captured a Country.

She's with us in person next Tuesday night at UWA Octagon Theatre to share her findings and respond to our questions.

This is a chance to bring along someone who might not have ever heard this story before, or only have the faintest idea what is going on. As Western Australians, this story is very much ours and its time to get to know it better.

See you there
6 for 6.30pm
Bar will stay open afterwards, books on sale in the foyer thanks to
Beaufort Street Books .

https://www.ticketswa.com/event/woodside-vs-planet

Brilliant work from The Australia Institute - if you haven't signed already please get behind this extremely important campaign.

The final Spaceship Earth conversation for 2024 at Lawson Flats is now ready for your attention.

Mark Tuesday November 26 in your diary.

The question remains the same... "in this critical decade we, Western Australians, have a myriad of opportunities to punch above our weight as global citizens. But rising to the challenge is taking too long. Do we - you and I - need to rethink who we are, and what we do, to truly realise our potential?"

For this conversation we welcome three brilliant minds to bring their unique personal and professional experience to the question.

Sisonke Msimang is an author, activist and political analyst who focuses on race, gender and politics. Greens candidate in the upcoming State election Sophie McNeill is an experienced journalist and foreign correspondent best known for reporting from conflict zones (she's also written a book and has worked with Human Rights Watch and Greenpeace). Ron Bradfield Jr is a Saltwater Man from Bardi Country whose work focusses on facilitating cross-cultural and cross-community conversations, which he also does via his own storytelling and contemporary art practice.

Everyone is invited to speak to this question from their personal and professional experience. Past conversations have been dynamic, emotional and thoughtful, and with this trio I can only begin to imagine how candid.

Do join us. Find ticketing by searching Lawson Flats events.