Biosecurity Queensland leaves a fire ant nest, unmarked, in public park, in Rocklea in Brisbane’s south-west. More evidence that Biosecurity Queensland is putting public safety at risk. Rocklea has been infested with fire ants since 2001. Seventeen years and $400m of public money later, it STILL is. 22nd July 2018
A concerned citizen took this photo of an unmarked fire ant nest in a public park in Rocklea, in July 2018. Rocklea is one of the suburbs in Brisbane’s south-west where fire ants were first found in 2001. Seventeen years and $400m of public money later, they’re still there.
It is possible that Biosecurity Queensland has recorded this nest and treated it, or not treated it yet. If so, there is no excuse for putting public safety at risk by not marking the nest to alert people to the imminent danger. Fire ants are one of the world’s most dangerous and aggressive super-pests. They inflict multiple burning stings on anything that disturbs their nests. Small children, older people and others who use our public parks are particularly at risk. The pain of the stings can last for weeks and people allergic to their stings can die.
If Biosecurity Queensland has recorded this nest and treated it or not treated it yet, there is no excuse for not marking it when Biosecurity Queensland relies heavily on the public to report new infestations. The public have reported 70% of all the fire ant nests Biosecurity Queensland knows about. A concerned citizen will not know whether to report this unmarked fire ant nest in a public park, or not!
It is inexcusable that Biosecurity Queensland has spent $400m of public money over seventeen years and ‘Ground Zero’ of the fire ant infestation in Brisbane’s south-west is STILL infested.