LNP calls on state to address claims fire ant funds wasted and used for ALP

A horse owner who has been subjected to six years of helicopter fire ant baiting says the program’s $411 million is being wasted and funnelled into the state Labor Party.

North Maclean resident Gregory Copley is angry about the treatment of his property and the fire ant baiting program. AAP/Renae Droop

A HORSE owner at North Maclean has accused the state government of politicising and wasting fire ant funding.

North Maclean horse breeder Gregory Copley said a helicopter fire ant program had been run in his area for six years but had failed.

Mr Copley also said the state government relied heavily on the federal government money, politicising the funding. “The fire ant program money is not being spent effectively or efficiently and is being used for political purposes,” he said.

FIRE ANT HELICOPTER ONLY FINDS HORSE MANURE

SPORTS DAY CANCELLED OVER NESTS

FIRE ANT FAILURE

But known fire ant whistleblower and former senior fire ant policy officer Pam Swepson said the claims were incorrect as the previous LNP government had also continued to misreport the program to access federal funding.

Dr Swepson said the claim the funds were going to union coffers was incorrect as the funds went into Treasury accounts.

The federally funded program in Queensland received $411 million in 2017 to be spent over 10 years to combat the pests.

Since then, the program has come under fire with accusations about the waste of funding, lack of vigilance and continued widespread movement of the ant across the state.

The National Red Imported Fire Ant and Electric Ant Eradication Program principal engagement officer said staff could not be compelled to join a union.

SUBSCRIBE: $1 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST 8 WEEKS. Min. cost $4

She said the program would be happy to consider any evidence supporting Mr Copley’s claims.

“The bait used by the program is not harmful to animals or humans, and is specifically targeted at fire ants,” she said.

“It consists of corn grit soaked in a mixture of soybean oil and an insect growth regulator — commonly found in flea collars. The bait breaks down in a matter of days.”

LNP Shadow Agriculture Minister Tony Perrett called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to come clean on Mr Copley’s claims about the alleged politicisation of Biosecurity Queensland.

“The LNP has serious concerns about the handling of the fire ant program under Labor,” he said.

“Landholders deserve to know if the $411 million war chest given to the Labor government to combat fire ants is being allocated and used effectively.”

North Maclean resident Gregory Copley is angry about the treatment of his property when authorities were looking for and treating fire ants. AAP/Renae Droop

Mr Copley said the program was a failure and even after six years of treatment his street was still infested.

“I had my first visit by Biosecurity Queensland on 15 of October 2013,” he said.

“Ever since then, the department has been trying to eradicate the ants from this area, which is a joke.

“When they made similar subsequent visits, on each occasion their expensive heat sensing machinery established there was horse manure on my horse property — but no fire ants.”

Biosecurity Queensland staff spray for fire ants at North Maclean.

Biosecurity Queensland staff on a vehicle spraying for fire ants at North Maclean.

Mr Copley took photos of fire ant nests at his neighbour’s property in October last year after Biosecurity Queensland’s biannual helicopter treatments dropped baits from the sky.

He said the costly helicopter treatments had been continuing for six years.

The photographs show Biosecurity Queensland staff in high-viz shirts spraying at the front fence of his neighbour’s property, while horses looked on less than 1m away.

They also showed Biosecurity Queensland staff using a vehicle to spray along fence lines.

Opposition.