SOCIAL PARTNERSHIPS IN LEARNING: SUCCESSFUL TRAINING THROUGH ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.

Developing partnerships that support biosecurity and sustainable livelihoods in regional and remote communities have at their core, sound processes and structures to share, create and recognize emergent and local knowledge. Through their analysis of the key elements of integrated rural development in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, Blyth et al. (2007) note a sustainable livelihood approach requires the integration of physical, economic, political and sociocultural environments. Blyth et al. (2007) also outline the range of opportunities for integrated rural development through enterprise development at a local level. A key element of natural cultural resource management is the management of plant biosecurity through local and national partnerships between community members, land managers, regional bodies, government and researchers. The management of plant biosecurity at the community level has the potential to be embedded into enterprise models that draw on local knowledge and build local capacity and build connections with national policy approaches. This paper reports on a macro-analysis of enterprise development and training models in Indigenous communities across Australia and considers the potential role of enterprise training in embedding plant biosecurity management at a local level to achieve environmental, economic, cultural and social sustainability.