Fire ants invade five Logan parks

BIOSECURITY Queensland is under attack after a volunteer park ranger accused it of failing in its bid to protect southside residents from an invasion of fire ants.

Volunteer park ranger in Logan Stuart Webber with a fire ant nest in a Logan Park.

A FIRE ant infestation in at least five public parks in Logan is being branded a major health hazard and is being blamed on the state’s biosecurity authority.

Honorary Park Ranger in Logan Stuart Webber said he had seen fire ant nests in Riverdale Park, Bayes Park, Tygum Park, Crestmead Park and Tansey Park.

He said Biosecurity Queensland had had 16 years to quash fire ants in Logan and its failure to take adequate measures could end in a child’s death.

Logan City Council is not responsible for management and control of fire ants.

“Council does have a duty of care,” he said. “These ants can kill children and they are on the rise in Logan. The state has had 16 years to get the job done and yet they are holding everyone to ransom while they wait for their request for $39 million funding.

“Council should have the authority to engage contractors to spray the nests.”

Mr Webber said Biosecurity officers failed to clear nests in Tansey Park, Tanah Merah and did not inform residents living in Riverpark Dve, about pesticide spraying. He also said Biosecurity Queensland’s monthly report to council about the problem was inadequate.

Mr Webber’s complaints were backed by the Invasive Species Council, which said it was D Day for the state’s fire ant program, which has spent $353 million since 2001.

Agriculture minister Bill Byrne will meet his counterparts next week to decide whether the states would keep the program.

Biosecurity Queensland said there were many detections of fire ants in Logan City this year with hot spots in Holmview, Parkridge, Stockleigh, and Waterford. It said it had a good relationship with Logan City Council and worked closely with officers to ensure the best eradication outcomes.

“Primary contacts within the council receive a monthly notification of all fire ant detections within the council area,” Biosecurity Queensland said. “Logan City Council supports our program’s activities by training staff in fire ant awareness, spreading key messages within the community, and reporting suspect fire ants or nests where applicable.”

Biosecurity Queensland also said only its officers, and not those from council, were qualified to treat a fire ant nest by direct injection using insecticide.