Qld fire ants: Tiny predator bringing us to the brink of ‘catastrophe’

Australia’s agriculture ministers risk “catastrophic” consequences if they don’t decide quickly on the future of the nation’s war against fire ants.

Australia’s agriculture ministers risk “catastrophic” consequences if they don’t decide quickly on the future of the nation’s war against fire ants, a powerful coalition of agriculture, land and industry groups have warned.

More than a dozen agriculture, environment and industry groups have joined forces in a bid to pressure authorities to stump up $300m a year to wipe out the super-pest ahead of a meeting of the nation’s agriculture ministers in three weeks.

Two Queenslanders — federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt and state counterpart Mark Furner — will ultimately helm the nation’s way forward in the fight against the insect.

A review of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program found current efforts were not enough to get rid of or contain the insect, and failure to act would end in the disaster scenario of the ant spreading across yards, lawns, fields, farms and golf courses.

Fire ants pose a huge biosecurity threat. Picture: Supplied

The report, released in recent weeks - akthough it was written in August 2021 - found all hope of eradicating a destructive and deadly ant will be “lost forever” if the pest escapes Queensland’s borders.

It noted fire ants were marching 5km a year and were “now only 23km north of the New South Wales border”.

As of June 2023, an incursion of the ant was found 11.6km from the NSW border.

And in a major threat to the tourism sector, the ant has been found on The Spit at the Gold Coast.

The coalition of peak bodies, including the Queensland Farmers Federation, Canegrowers, AgForce and the Queensland Conversation Council, have called for the state and federal government to priorities the response to the fire ant review.

They said it was “now critical that decisions be made to enable fire ant eradication to make up for lost time”.

And it was agreed fire ant eradication was the “preferred outcome and resources were immediately needed along with reforms to the eradication program” recommended in the report.

Invasive Species Council spokesman Reece Pianta said “delaying a fire ant decision could be catastrophic”.

Senator Watt confirmed a new proposal was being prepared by the state government and would need to be considered by all agriculture ministers before it proceeds.

A new proposal is being prepared by the Queensland Government and will need to be considered by all Agriculture Ministers before it proceeds, affirming also that the “future direction of the program are expected to be considered in the coming months”.

State agricultural industry development Minister Mark Furner said he would “continue to advocate for a national approach” to eradicate the ants.