Because of Biosecurity Queensland’s incompetence, fire ants have now invaded the Moreton Bay Regional Council area north of Brisbane: the third largest local government area in Queensland after Brisbane and the Gold Coast which are already infested with fire ants. Most of south-east Queensland is now infested with fire ants. On 6th June, Biosecurity Queensland told residents in the rural area of Camp Mountain they had fire ants and they should go on the hunt for them. Camp Mountain is in the Moreton Bay region, near Samford Village and contains parts of the much-loved recreational area of Brisbane Forest Park. It was inevitable that Camp Mountain and the Moreton Bay region would become infested with fire ants. A month ago, fire ant nests began exploding in two new housing estates in the next-door suburb of Upper Kedron and just about all of south-east Queensland is now infested with fire ants. The cities of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan and Redlands are all infested. So too are the Lockyer Valley, the Scenic Rim, and Somerset regions. Because of Biosecurity Queensland’s incompetence it was inevitable that fire ants would get into the Moreton Bay region as well. Fire ants could have flown into Camp Mountain from Upper Kedron because Biosecurity Queensland did not kill the infestation in Upper Kedron. Or they could have arrived in Camp Mountain in loads of fire ant carriers like top soil, mulch, compost, turf or potted plants because Biosecurity Queensland is failing to stop the movement of these fire ant carriers into fire ant free areas. It is crucial that the public keeps looking for fire ants and it is crucial that the Commonwealth and other States and Territories continue to fund a fire ant program but they will be throwing more good public money after the $400m Biosecurity Queensland has wasted so far, if Biosecurity Queensland continues to run the fire ant program. 28th June 2017
Because of Biosecurity Queensland’s incompetence, fire ants have now invaded the Moreton Bay Regional Council area, north of Brisbane. Taking in Redcliffe, Pine Rivers and Caboolture, it is the third largest local government area in Queensland, after Brisbane and the Gold Coast, that are already infested with fire ants. Most of south-east Queensland is now infested with fire ants.
On 6th June Biosecurity Queensland told residents in the rural area of Camp Mountain in the Moreton Bay region, near Samford Village, they had fire ants. And they should go on the hunt for them.
Camp Mountain contains parts of the much-loved Brisbane Forest Park: an environmental sanctuary and a much-loved recreational park for the people of south-east Queensland. Fire ants now threaten the safety of wildlife and visitors who come to enjoy the park.
This is the first incursion of fire ants into the Moreton Bay region, but it was inevitable. A month ago, fire ant nests began exploding in two new housing estates in the next-door suburb of Upper Kedron. And just about all of south-east Queensland is now infested with fire ants. The cities of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan and Redlands are all infested. So too are the Lockyer Valley, the Scenic Rim, and Somerset regions. And now the Moreton Bay region as well.
It is possible that Camp Mountain became infested because young fire ant queens, who can fly 2-5 km, flew into Camp Mountain from Upper Kedron to establish new nests because Biosecurity Queensland did not kill the infestation in Upper Kedron. Or they could have arrived in Camp Mountain in loads of fire ant carriers like top soil, mulch, compost, turf or potted plants if there had been any building developments or landscaping work done in Camp Mountain in recent times. This would be evidence that Biosecurity Queensland is failing to apply movement controls to prevent businesses or residents from carelessly or accidentally moving fire ant infested materials into fire ant free areas.
Biosecurity Queensland is asking the public to be on the look-out for fire ant nests and it is crucial that they do, because Biosecurity Queensland cannot find fire ants, kill fire ants or stop them spreading. Biosecurity Queensland has spent $400m of public money over 16 years with the result that fire ants now infest 300 suburbs in south-east Queensland, the fire ant infestation is now ten times bigger than at the beginning and it is getting worse.
The Australian Agricultural Ministers Council will meet in July to decide the future of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program. For the sake of Queensland and the rest of Australia we have to hope the Ministers decide to continue to fund a fire ant program. But the Ministers will be throwing more good public money after bad if Biosecurity Queensland, who cannot find, kill or contain the spread of fire ants, continues to run any future fire ant program.