A major fire ant outbreak has been confirmed at BHP’s Broadmeadow coal mine, 150km inland from Mackay – marking the first time this invasive super pest has been found in central Queensland.
The Invasive Species Council says the breach is unacceptable and demands immediate action.
‘In the last week, we’ve had another detection in New South Wales, an interception in Western Australia and now the first outbreak in Central Queensland,’ Advocacy Manager at the Invasive Species Council, Reece Pianta said.
‘I am incredibly angry about this. This is not bad luck, it’s a spectacular failure because of known gaps in funding, enforcement and surveillance.
‘Australia’s last chance to eradicate deadly fire ants is being destroyed because governments are dithering and delaying critical funding increases.
‘We have warned for 2 years that there is a major gap in funding for suppression, with nest densities off the charts, south of Brisbane.
‘The Senate inquiry found this. The independent program review found this. The Queensland government has raised this. The federal biosecurity department knows this.
‘But every time it has been raised, the message we get back is that new funding is just around the corner if only we will be patient.
‘Well, the time is up. If Australia’s governments do not immediately step in with extra suppression funding, then they are condemning huge parts of Australia to a permanent fire ant future.
‘This failure will shake community confidence in the fire ant eradication efforts and we need to see real action to address that valid concern.
‘We have no doubt that this latest outbreak will be able to be contained and eradicated at this mine, but clearly the system is breaking down.
‘This outbreak at Broadmeadow is almost 800 kilometres from the known infestation zone – that’s simply unacceptable.
‘Every mine site and construction project across the country should be checking for fire ants. Any business or resident that has received materials from South East Queensland needs to check them. This outbreak is a national wake-up call.
‘We need to see strong enforcement action taken against the business responsible for moving contaminated material onto this site. Fire ant laws are meaningless if they’re not enforced – it’s time to get serious.
‘The review of the fire ant program has to be commenced immediately. So does at least $24 million in new funding for suppression work. If we don’t put in the funding needed now we risk a $2 billion per year hit to our nation’s economy, environmental devastation and human fatalities.
‘Delay is creating a national disaster. We’ve been warning for years that chronic underfunding of fire ant eradication, containment and suppression would lead to exactly this kind of outcome.
‘Now we’re seeing the consequences play out – fire ants are slipping through the cracks and turning up in places they’ve never been before.’
Media inquiries: (02) 8006 5004
Photos and videos of fire ants here.
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