Sunshine Coast Council requests additional funding to address fire ants

Sunshine Coast councillors are pleading for more funding as fire ants start to affect businesses in the region.

Sunshine Coast Council have requested additional funding to combat fire ants in the region.

Councillors have addressed fire ant breakouts on the Sunshine Coast in their latest meeting, requesting further funding to combat the issue.

The Sunshine Coast Council discussed the motion during their latest meeting on March 27, asking the federal government to increase its funding to councils for the “general biosecurity obligations” against fire ants.

The council heard fire ant eradication is led by the National Fire Ant Eradication program in collaboration with councils who perform surveillance and treatments on top of raising community awareness.

Councillor Maria Suarez said the Sunshine Coast had examples where fire ants directly affected the economic viability of businesses, including landscape suppliers and rural businesses.

Councillor Maria Suarez addressed the motion in the council meeting. Photo: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

She said the council received some financial support for training and supply of treatment material, but there were additional costs involved such as procuring human resources for surveillance and compliance as well as material for community education.

Shuffling around council staff to address fire ant issues may result in other areas being underfunded or covered by additional costs from rates, Ms Suarez said.

She encouraged her fellow councillors to support the motion.

Council’s Healthy Places unit co-ordinator Jason Brewer said the fire ants issue had affected sectors such as transport network operations, parks and gardens, waste management and development services.

The Sunshine Coast had no infestations 12 months ago until one emerged in Nirimba in July last year, after the council’s budget was set, and most recently one in North Arm.

He said it cost $20,000 just to run a drone over the Caloundra landfill alongside regular treatments.

Councillor Tim Burns said it meant big implications for the region if the fire ants issue was not addressed, but the council did not have the capacity to do so.

Councillors voted unanimously to submit the motion to the Australian Local Government Association.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council requests additional funding to address fire ants