Queensland landscaping businesses fined for breaching red fire ant biosecurity laws

Landscaping businesses have been fined for moving soil infested with “deadly ants” across the border in a first for the state, as the governments fights to protect NSW from a billion-dollar outbreak.

The Minns government has fined two Queensland businesses $60,000 for illegally moving red fire ant-infested soil across the border in a bid to stop a deadly billion dollar outbreak.

Landscaping supply businesses Allenview Turf and Marlyn Compost were convicted of breaching biosecurity regulations in the NSW Local Court last month after they transported soil, turf and compost from the Queensland fire infested area into NSW without certification.

Marlyn Compost, from the Northern Gold Coast, were found guilty of 20 offences for making 152 deliveries across the border from their infested Woongoolba farm between 2022 and 2023, including to two schools.

Allenview Turf, also known as Brytarbri Pty Ltd, was found guilty of nine offences.

The convictions are the first to be handed down since the state government banned turf imports from southeast Queensland last November.

The invasive species have already infested 83,000ha and posed continual outbreak risks in northern NSW, with the government crackdown on “rogue businesses” only the latest effort to prevent the spread south.

Department of Primary Industries red fire ant map shows the species’ spread through southeast Queensland.

Border patrols, CCTV detection cameras and sniffer dogs have also been used in the frontline battle to prevent and track infestations under four waves of Operation Victa.
The fire ant team has so far issued eight penalty notices and three warnings after stopping 352 vehicles and ordering 12 vehicles back to Queensland.

Fire ant sniffer dog ‘Candy’ helps with prevention efforts.

Fire ants are deadly to people and livestock. Pictures: Invasive Species Council

Since December, the government has also checked 1359 community fire ant spottings, reviewed 12,650 Record of Movement business declarations, and undertaken 1600 surveillance events.

It comes after Australian Institute data found red fire ants could cost the country more than $22bn by the 2040s if the species is left to run rampant.

Nigel Andrew, a professor of entomology at Southern Cross University, last year warned the impacts could be “devastating” if the introduced species spreads any further.

Mr Andrew said each nest could have “millions” of ants inside.

Operation Victa a NSW Police and Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Regional NSW operation inspects vehicles on the border.

“Fire ants are a very real threat. They have killed people (due to anaphylactic shock) in the US, wiped out livestock and have decimated entire native ecosystems.” he said.

“The reality is they can radically change habitats and affect people’s experience outdoors.”

Mr Andrew said fire ants have “probably had more impact than any other introduced species in Australian history” and warned that if the spread reached Sydney, the outcome would be “dire”.

Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty vowed perpetrators would face the “full force of the law”.

“There will be no sympathy for a business who flouts our biosecurity controls and threatens our state’s land, homes and farms with fire ants.”