21 Jan 2019

Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management of the fire ant program in the Lockyer Valley alienates farmers and staff and breaches the Biosecurity Act

A Key Strategy of Biosecurity Queensland’s new $411.4m Ten Year Fire Ant Program is to collaborate with landowners. Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management of the program in the Lockyer Valley, south-east Queensland’s food bowl, does more to alienate farmers than gain their cooperation. Field staff, as ‘authorised persons’ under ...

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13 Jan 2019

Biosecurity Queensland’s fire ant program is a Commonwealth funded jobs program for Queenslanders: not an incentive to eradicate fire ants. Steering Committee responsible.

Biosecurity Queensland pays for 10% to the National Fire Ant Program but makes 100% of spending decisions: mostly on jobs for Queenslanders: not an incentive to eradicate fire ants. The Program Steering Committee is 100% responsible for Biosecurity Queensland using public money to create jobs for Queenslanders. Time for a Parliamentary Inqu...

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04 Jan 2019

Biosecurity Queensland puts strict controls on fire ant carriers going inter-state but minimal controls on fire ant carriers not going inter-state

In December 2018, Biosecurity Queensland was putting strict controls on the movement of fire ant carriers like soil and mulch, destined for inter-state, from 458 suburbs in south-east Queensland: up from 284 in 2016. At the same time, Biosecurity Queensland was applying minimal controls to the movement of fire ant carriers not destined for inte...

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