Dr Slade Lee describes the Plant Business project, which is part of the Enterprise Development program.

1. Plant Business - Research Team
Ninti One Limited
Ange Vincent, Judy Lovell, Aboriginal Community Researchers
Southern Cross University
Slade Lee, Peter Bundock, Myrna Deseo, Gary Ablett
University of New England
Paul Martin, Kylie Lingard
Northern Territory Government
Gary Dinham - Alice Springs Desert Park
Vivek Bhat - Arid Zone Research Institute

2. Questions
How to develop -
horticultural varieties for creating
commercialisation opportunities in remote Australia with
native plants traditionally-used by Aboriginal people?
How to assess and exploit ways of -
protecting Aboriginal Intellectual Property via instruments of
IP law and other legal provisions national and international, and by
ethical marketing approaches?

3. Methods
• engage Aboriginal people to participate and approve  permission, stories
(Community Engagement sub-project)
• identify and collect Bush Tomato diversity  samples,
(Community Engagement sub-project) field data
• clonal propagation  plants for field trials
(Vegetative Propagation sub-project)
• assess genetic and chemical characteristics  genetic diversity, identity,
(Plant Science sub-project) alkaloid content, safety

4. Methods
• field trials  characterisation, identify superior traits
• select superior Bush Tomato types  new varieties
• tissue culture propagation  rapid clonal
multiplication
• develop and apply IP protection strategies  protected varieties
• deliver Bush Tomato varieties to people in remote Australia

5. Outcomes
• strategies for protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander IP
• expanding remote enterprises using horticultural varieties of Bush Tomato
• model for development of other bush plant enterprises
• employment opportunities and financial independence in remote Australia
• economic and cultural value of Traditional Knowledge recognised

6. Partners and Stakeholders
CRC-REP Partners Engaged
• Ninti One Business Development Unit & RemoteBiz Pty Ltd
• Southern Cross University
• University of New England
• Northern Territory Government - Alice Springs Desert Park & Arid Zone Research Institute
• Robins Foods Pty Ltd
• Outback Spirit Foundation
• Coles Supermarkets & Coles Indigenous Food Fund
• Desert Garden Produce Aboriginal Corporation
• CleanGROW - Ormandy Plants Pty Ltd
• Kungkas Can Cook
• Centrefarm Aboriginal Horticulture Ltd
Other Stakeholders & Participants
• Ntaria (Hermansburg) Community
• Tjuwanpa Womens Rangers
• representatives of Laramba Community
• representatives of Yuendumu
• representatives of Ltyenty Apurte (Santa Teresa)
• representatives of Amoonguna
• representatives of Warrabri (Ali Curung)
• Pat Mamanyjun Torres - Mayi Harvests
• Andrew Fielke - Tuckeroo Gourmet Retail Products

7. Achievements
Engagement
• stakeholder engagement, project planning and approval
• Advisory Group formed
• NEAF human research ethics application approved & CAHREC submitted
• Community Engagement sub-project approved and commenced
• BDU and Aboriginal Community Researcher team formed
• preliminary community consultation undertaken
• Aboriginal IP UNE PhD student enrolled and SCU engagement begun

8. Achievements
Technical
• Plant Business information compendium compiled
• Bush Tomato literature review and summary papers written
• sampling protocol developed and tested
• field team training undertaken
• preliminary review of potential IP protection strategies
• Plant Science sub-project research commenced
 genetic analysis procedure development begun
 alkaloid analysis procedure development begun
• Plant Propagation sub-project confirmed and imminent
• prospective field site selected and initial planning

9. Plant Business
Principal Research Leader Desert Garden Produce
Aboriginal Corporation
Slade Lee
0419 474 251
slade.lee@nintione.com.au
Southern Cross University
PO Box 157
Lismore NSW 2480

10. Partners of Ninti One