Fears fire ant eradication program mismanagement could be hurting family pets

The leader of the National Party has raised concerns that the Queensland fire ant eradication program’s mismanagement by Labor may be harming households, penning letters to multiple ministers.

Federal Nationals Leader David Littleproud speaks during the LNP Convention in Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

National Party leader David Littleproud has raised concerns about the effects fire ant mitigation delays and mismanagement may be having on pets.

Mr Littleproud told The Sunday Mail that community concern had grown alongside the explosion in size of the red fire ant eradication zone.

“We’re getting people contacting our office about their pets being impacted and this is something that really hasn’t been quantified as much as what the predictions on what it would do to agriculture and even to humans,” he said.

“But it would still be significant, because obviously household pets are in the same environment as humans and they’re going to have those effects, and it means that families are going to have to think differently about where their pets can actually go outside, and how long they can stay outside.”

Fire ants have been found all over Queensland. Photos: Invasive Species Council

Mr Littleproud flagged these concerns with former agriculture minister Murray Watt in July and in a letter seen by The Sunday Mail said these concerns could put the program at risk if there is a “ground swell of complaints”.

Following ministerial changes, he sent another letter to the current agriculture minister Julie Collins.

Mr Littleproud claims the Labor government have “wasted four months” and the state is now approaching a tipping point due to inaction.

“There’s been no shortage of money given, not only by the Commonwealth, but by all states, to the Queensland Government to get this solved, unfortunately we haven’t put enough accountability measures around the Queensland Government – they haven’t taken this seriously,” he said.

The Queensland eradication zone has exploded in size. Picture: Invasive Species Council

The Nationals leader said Labor’s $268 million over four years in federal funding to eradicate fire ants was not going to be enough and has called out the Albanese Government on their “failures” to act on key Senate inquiry recommendations give in April.

“Critically, the first recommendation was that the Australian Government review the current level of funding with the state governments. Labor hasn’t bothered responding, yet alone investigating or acting on this recommendation,” he said.

“The Coalition has long been warning the spread of fire ants will cost our economy $2 billion annually. It has been obvious for some time the funding was not going to be enough.”