The news that fire ants have made their way to Canungra made Member for Scenic Rim Jon Krause livid at the continued failures seen by the Queensland Government’s fire ant eradication taskforce.
“Labor have spent more than $100 million of taxpayers’ money on a program to eradicate fire ants, but still they keep spreading. There has been no urgency in eradicating nests and no commitment to do the job properly.
“I’ve been to fields where the ants should have been treated and eradicated, just to see nests everywhere. Fire ants can create huge problems for our local community – for horses and livestock, pets, and people.
“I recently met with a resident living in Ripley – a locality on the border of the Scenic Rim. We met at the location where a whistle-blower stood with the ABC News 12 months ago pointing out deficiencies in the QLD Government’s eradication program – I found fire ant nests on the site and reported them.
“Since then, an independent audit has found huge problems, and now the Ombudsman has started its own investigation into the program. Clearly the eradication hasn’t worked at Ripley, especially now that we know fire ants are as far south as Canungra in the Scenic Rim.
“This site at Ripley didn’t just have one or two nests – I spotted over 20 nests within the first few minutes of arrival. And I spoke with a resident who wouldn’t let her dog or grandchildren play in her yard because it had fire ants and DAF (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries) has not come back to treat them.
“I don’t want this to be the case in Canungra, but unfortunately, the Queensland Labor Government has already let us down.
“Fire ants are a danger to our lifestyle, our livestock, our pets, and our health. Unfortunately, they continue to spread slowly southwards into Scenic Rim and towards NSW.
“The QLD Government’s eradication program has big problems – it just doesn’t work with enough urgency, something I’ve said since 2017 – and now, the QLD Ombudsman has started its own inquiry into the program, after an independent review found huge problems with the program in May 2020.
“It needs urgent change – but first, the Government must admit there is a problem. So far, they continue to stonewall and deny.”
Mr Krause said that he has reported the fire ants he found and urged anyone in Canungra and surrounds to please do the same if they find fire ants by calling: 13 25 23.