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 the Biosecurity Act 2014, have the power to enter a property, within a Fire Ant Biosecurity Zone, without the occupier’s consent. But they MUST attempt to seek the occupiers consent to enter, MUST do as little damage as possible and MUST NOT work outside their powers. Biosecurity Queensland managers tell field staff it is ‘a waste of time’ to alert farmers they are working in the area. Helicopters broadcasting bait have spooked cattle and horses that have crashed into fences and injured themselves when farmers have not been warned. The Biosecurity Act 2014 says field staff MUST make reasonable steps to seek the consent of owners to enter their properties and MUST cause as little damage as possible. Biosecurity Queensland managers tell field staff that working in lines across a paddock is ‘How we do the job,’ even though that practice can spook livestock and send them crashing into fences and injuring themselves.’ Again, a breach of the Biosecurity Act 2014. Biosecurity Queensland managers tell field staff they can enter quarantined and padlocked properties by climbing over the fence because ‘We can go anywhere.’ Again, this breaches the Biosecurity Act 2014 which says field staff MUST NOT work outside their powers. Biosecurity Queensland managers told field staff not to treat a large fire ant nest, next to an agricultural property, they found late on a Friday afternoon, because ‘It wouldn’t be any worse on Monday’. The following week, 300 huge nests were found threatening the safety of the livestock. Again, a breach of the Biosecurity Act 2014 which says field staff MUST NOT avoid using their powers. Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management alienates staff who simply leave. A huge turnover of staff is a gold mine for external recruitment agencies and a huge waste of public money. It is time for a Royal Commission into Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management of the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. 21st January 2019
One of the Key Strategies of Biosecurity Queensland’s new $411.4m Ten Year Fire Ant Eradication Plan (2017-2027) is Collaboration: ‘promoting shared responsibility between government, industry and the wider community to achieve eradication objectives… The program wants to develop collaborative arrangements with landowners.’
Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management in the Lockyer Valley is doing more to alienate farmers than gain their cooperation, and, in the process, breaching the Biosecurity Act 2014 the program operates under.
75km west of ‘ground zero’ of the fire ant infestation in Brisbane’s south-west, the Lockyer Valley is south-east Queensland’s food bowl. Controlling fire ants in the Lockyer Valley is critical to the well-being and economy of south-east Queensland.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, fire ant program field assistants are designated ‘authorised persons’ who have powers to enter a property, within Fire Ant Biosecurity Zones, to inspect the property for fire ants, to treat the property for fire ants and to check if the occupier is mitigating their risk of spreading fire ants: if necessary, without the consent of the occupier.
However, the Act also says authorised persons MUST:
However, Biosecurity Queensland managers tell field staff not to door-knock residents to alert them the program is operating in their area because ‘It wastes time.’ When property owners have not been alerted to their imminent activity, helicopters broadcasting bait can spook cattle and horses, causing them to crash into fences and injure themselves. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, field staff MUST take all reasonable attempts to seek the consent of the occupier and do as little damage as possible. If they do, the Act includes provision for compensation if a person incurs loss or expense.
Biosecurity Queensland managers give field staff no training in dealing with livestock on agricultural properties. Lines of field staff progressing across a paddock can spook horses and cattle: sending them crashing through fences and injuring themselves. Field staff are told ‘This is how we have to do the job.’ Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, field staff MUST do as little damage, as possible. If they do, the Act includes provision for compensation if a person incurs loss or expense.
Biosecurity Queensland managers give field staff no training in the dangers of spreading diseases among agricultural livestock. Field assistants who keep birds cannot enter poultry farms for risk of spreading avian diseases and wiping out thousands of birds. Field staff are told ‘We can go anywhere.’ Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, field staff MUST NOT work outside their powers and MUST do as little damage as possible. If they do, the Act includes provision for compensation if a person incurs loss or expense.
Biosecurity Queensland managers have told field staff to enter a quarantined, padlocked and well-signed agricultural property, by climbing over the fence: saying ‘We can go anywhere.’ Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, field staff MUST NOT work outside their powers and MUST do as little damage as possible.
Biosecurity Queensland managers give field staff no training in the most basic agricultural animal safety measures: closing gates. Livestock have escaped properties when field staff did not ensure they had secured gates behind them. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, field staff MUST do as little damage, as possible. If they do, the Act includes provision for compensation if a person incurs loss or expense.
Biosecurity Queensland managers told field staff, who found a huge fire ant nest, a metre wide and half a meter high, next to a livestock producer, on a Friday afternoon, to leave it until Monday, because ‘It wouldn’t get any worse.’ When the infestation was fully investigated the following week, field staff found three hundred fire ant nests, all threatening the well-being of expensive livestock. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, field staff MUST do as little damage as possible and MUST NOT AVOID using their powers.
Not only is Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management alienating farmers, it is alienating the field staff they rely on to do the job. Field staff are leaving in droves.
Most field staff join the program do something worthwhile for their community. Most people just want to be able to do a good job. But when program managers don’t do their job, field staff can think, ‘If the managers don’t care, why should I?’ But other conscientious workers, who can’t stand the chaotic work culture, simply leave. Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management is resulting in a huge turnover of staff: dozens if not hundreds have left since the start of the 2017-27 Ten Year Eradication Program.
A high staff turnover is a gold-mine for the agencies Biosecurity Queensland uses to recruit field staff. They have been able to advertise fire ant program positions almost continuously. But a gold-mine for recruitment agencies is a huge waste of public money.
It is time for a Royal Commission into Biosecurity Queensland’s chaotic management of National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program that alienates the public and the staff, breaches the Biosecurity Act 2014, and wastes public money.