The Queensland state budget has thrown Australia’s fire ant eradication effort a much-needed lifeline, but stopped short of providing the long-term certainty needed to finish the job, says the Invasive Species Council.
The budget includes $10.5 million to continue fire ant suppression work for another year, allowing aerial baiting and backyard treatment programs to continue until mid-2027. However, it was less than budgeted in 2025/26 and will leave local councils to meet the costs of delivering ground suppression treatments. There is also no funding certainty for the nationally funded fire ant eradication program, which is set to expire in July 2027.
‘The funding keeps the lights on for another 12 months, but it does not provide the long-term certainty needed to protect Queensland communities or deliver eradication,’ Invasive Species Council Advocacy Director Reece Pianta said.
‘The Australian Government and all states and territories must step up and provide funding certainty for eradication work.
‘Fire ants are one of the world’s worst invasive species. If they escape containment around Brisbane, they will threaten wildlife, agriculture, outdoor recreation and public health across Australia.
‘The suppression area is shrinking because the program is succeeding, but that success depends on sustained investment.
‘One-year funding decisions make it harder to retain skilled staff, plan treatment programs and maintain momentum against one of the world’s worst invasive species.
‘Australia still has a genuine chance to become the first country in the world to eradicate an established fire ant invasion, but only if governments provide the long-term funding certainty needed to get the job done.
‘If fire ants become established across Australia, they will permanently change the way Australians live, work and enjoy the outdoors.
‘They can be lethal to people, devastate wildlife, damage agricultural production and are projected to cost Australia at least $2 billion every year if eradication fails.’
Residents can report suspected fire ants, or notify the program that they have checked their property and found none, online or by calling 132 ANT (13 22 68).
The budget also offered an increase to Biosecurity Queensland’s operating budget to continue recruitment of additional Biosecurity Officers.
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Background:
- Fire ants can be identified by the following features:
- Workers from the same nest vary in size from 2 mm to 6 mm.
- Disturbed nests trigger aggressive swarming behaviour.
- Nests may appear as mounds up to 40 cm high or as flat patches of loose soil.
- Colonies are commonly found in open, sunny areas including lawns, gardens, footpaths and near waterways.
- More than one thousand primary producers and large landholders have joined Queensland’s Enhanced Aerial Suppression program to drive down fire ant numbers on around 125,000 ha in the Scenic Rim region.
- Many participants have reported remarkable reductions in fire ant densities due to aerial and roadside suppression treatments.
- These gains are temporary and recent rainfall has resulted in fire ant numbers increasing again proving that eradication is the only long term solution.
- Fire ants can be lethal to humans, are expected to have a $2 billion per year impact on Australia’s economy if they get out of control, will devastate wildlife, cut agricultural output by up to 40% and may cause over one hundred thousand extra medical appointments each year.
- Fire ants can form rafts during flood events, stowaway in freight or soil or spread by Queen ant flights of around 5 km per year (and up to 30 km in favourable conditions).
- The National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program strategic review estimated that at least $200 to $300 million per year will be required for ongoing eradication efforts to achieve eradication by 2032 – this compares to $94 million spent in 2022/23 and only $60 million committed for this financial year.
- Recently, Australia’s governments committed to ongoing fire ant eradication but have not yet committed any new funding to fight fire ants in Australia. Fire ant eradication is being led by the Queensland government but is funded by all Australian governments because fire ants are a threat to the whole country.
- Fire ants came into Australia in the late 90s in freight from the United States, they were found in 2001. Fire ants are originally from South America.
- Fire ants have spread across most of the southern United States, and are spreading in China at a rate of about 80 km per year.
- Almost all of Australia is climatically suitable for fire ants.
- A comprehensive government study from 2021 found that between $200 and $300 million annually would be required over the next 10 years or Australia would face at least a $2 billion cost per year from fire ants forever. At the moment the planned funding is only half that amount.
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