08 Apr 2019

Minister demands take-down of true news story about Biosecurity Queensland’s Fire Ant Fiasco. Minister says program is ‘world class’: fake news. Time for a Royal Commission

In a shocking attack on freedom of the press, on 5th April, staff in Minister Mark Furner’s office demanded a journalist take down a true, hard-hitting story about Biosecurity Queensland’s Fire Ant Fiasco. Minister Furner is the Queensland Minister for Agriculture responsible for the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. In November 2018, Min...

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04 Apr 2019

Heads roll in Biosecurity Queensland's Fire Ant Fiasco: budget blow-out, chaotic management, fire ants out of control. Time for a Royal Commission.

Biosecurity Queensland has removed its long-time Operations Manager and recently appointed General Manager in a vain attempt to save the sinking ship which is the new $411.4m Ten Year Fire Ant Eradication Program 2017-27. And they should not be the last. In 2018-19 Biosecurity blew its $38m budget in seven months on • High turn-over of conta...

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25 Mar 2019

Fire ants breached Biosecurity Queensland's $500m program seven more times in 2017-18. Reviews say always the case. Steering Committee 'confident.' Time for a Royal Commission.

In the first year of Biosecurity Queensland’s new $411.4m Ten-Year Fire Ant Eradication Program, (on top of the $400m 2002-2017 program), fire ants breached Biosecurity Queensland’s operations seven more times: into Bridgeman Downs in Brisbane’s north, into the Beaudesert area south-west of Brisbane, into the Lowood area north-west of Brisban...

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