Biosecurity  provides crucial insights into the power relationships, tensions and forms of solidarity which underpin rural governance, as well as how the practices of those ‘doing’ biosecurity contribute to more sustainable and resilient rural spaces.

This working group focuses broadly on the relationship between biosecurity, risk and rural governance.  We invite abstracts of no more than 400 words that engage with one or more of the following themes:
•         The tensions between efforts to regulate and control disease risk and participatory modes of rural governance, including recent calls to involve a broader range of stakeholders/‘publics’ in disease risk governance.
•         The implications of biosecurity policies, strategies and practices for rural economies and livelihoods.
•         Local practices of biosecurity and the resilience of those practices.
•         Key challenges to the existing and future management of biosecurity threats within rural space.
•         The relationship between biosecurity and other securities (e.g., security of food production).
•         Engagement with, and adoption of, biosecurity practices by rural dwellers.
•         The relationship between scientific and lay knowledge in the implementation of biosecurity practices.

The inaugural National Rural Women’s Conference will be held in Canberra from 18 to 20 February 2013.

Over two and a half conference days you will hear from more than 30 exceptional presenters sharing their experience of business community rural issues and the joys and challenges of rural life. The conference program is bursting with presentations across a range of topics which have been categorised under our four conference streams.

Big… Inspiration.

Big… Challenges.

Big… Business.

Big… Networks.

Choosing what to attend will be hard but you’re a woman, so multi tasking and organising is what we do best.

Liz Davenport, leading Australian fashion designer and businesswoman, and Elizabeth Broderick, Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner since 2007, will be keynote speakers. Liz will inspire delegates with her journey from the shire of Gnowangerup (WA) to the height of the international fashion world in an address that pinpoints the role of rural and regional women in business. As a key advocate for policy reform on domestic violence Elizabeth will stimulate discussion surrounding the need for a contextualized response to family and domestic violence in rural communities.

Australia’s favourite cook Maggie Beer will be the guest speaker at the NRWC Dinner at Parliament House on Tuesday 19 February 2013. The Dinner will be held in partnership with the Canberra Centenary Celebrations and the contribution of all women to the fabric of Australian life will be celebrated.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your networks make new business connections enhance and improve your skills share your experience voice your concerns and be motivated and inspired by women.

The EcoArts Australis annual conference is an opportunity for you to network and communicate with others who using the arts in creative ways to foster environmental sustainability.

Also launching the new website of EcoArts Australis

http://www.ecoartsaustralis.org.au/

For publications on the the arts and environmental sustainability see

http://www.ecoartsaustralis.org.au/research-and-resources/creating-inspiration-research-project/

The University of Western Australia, Society for the Provision of Education for Rural Australia (SPERA) and University of New England (SiMERR) invite you to the 3rd International Symposium for Innovation in Rural Education (ISFIRE) at UWA, Perth, Western Australia.

This International Symposium will bring together international teachers, school administrators, teacher educators, academics, community groups and organisations and parents who are passionate about rural education.

The third International Symposium for Innovation in Rural Education (ISFIRE) Symposium will be a key means of building and strengthening international rural networks, drawing together an increasing body of work focused on globally improving education outcomes for rural, regional and remote students.

You will participate in a stimulating education program of presentations, hands on workshops and panel sessions. Social events will also be a feature of this three day event.

Theme

Rural Education on the Global Stage: Connecting for Innovation

Sub Themes

Leadership
Indigenous Perspective
Curriculum and Pedagogy
Community and Inter-sectoral Networks
Initial Teacher Education