Using a community approach to foster effective biosecurity practices across social borders

A scan of biosecurity management practice in Australia identified that the provision of biosecurity information to the Australian general public does not extend much further than formal, uncomplicated and one way methods of communication such as websites, road signage and brochures. While growing attention has been afforded to biosecurity and its global impact on human activity, the research reported here suggests that the management of biosecurity can be more effective by adopting a more targeted method of communication. Although the existing rhetoric assumes that biosecurity management requires a ‘whole of community’ approach, there is very little evidence to suggest that local populations have the capacity to undertake, or should be responsible for, these tasks in the current biosecurity climate. Such thinking maintains a number of fundamental flaws, particularly in its assumption that members of any particular community have equal access to biosecurity related information and that this information is equitably distributed according to cultural, social, economic, political and physical attributes. Similarly, it is assumed that new knowledge about biosecurity is equally adopted across all sectors of the community, that community members are motivated to translate new knowledge into action and that members have equal access and opportunities to participate in local decision making processes and social change. Unfortunately, these assumptions do not hold true for most Australian communities. This chapter reports on the findings of an extensive qualitative research study in a Northern Australian agricultural region. The findings indicate that applying community engagement principles to biosecurity management may be a far more effective way to increase biosecurity awareness between the social elements in communities and bring about change and transformation that is relevant, meaningful and authentic to its members.