15 Sep 2019

Biosecurity Qld Fire Ant Program Science Manager admits what he has known since 2001: not possible to eradicate fire ants from SEQ: a lot to answer for. Time for a Royal Commission.

As Chair of the Fire Ant Program Scientific Advisory Panel in 2001, Dr Wylie knows that local and USA expert said the fire ant infestation in south-east Queensland was too entrenched to eradicate and said an aggressive containment and suppression program was the best and cheapest option. Dr Wylie knows that then Minister for Primary Industries, ...

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04 Sep 2019

Biosecurity Queensland's publicly funded fire ant program is training local pest controllers to treat fire ant nests at the public expense. Why does the program exist? Time for a Royal Commission.

Fire ants are out of control in south-east Queensland and Biosecurity Queensland is being swamped with thousands of reports of fire ant nests from the public. Even with an annual budget of $42.5m, Biosecurity Queensland can’t cope. Biosecurity Queensland is telling the public to be patient and is dumping the problem and the cost of treating f...

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30 Aug 2019

Biosecurity Queensland's top heavy fire ant program management team has little, if anything, to show for 40% of the program's budget. Time for a Royal Commission.

Two field managers, Operations and Communication and Engagement, consume 60% of the program’s annual budget of $42,425,416. Program reports document fairly well what that money was spend on: even if they don’t report what those activities achieved in terms of eradicating, containing and suppressing fire ants. The other 40% of the program’...

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