Conspiracy group’s link to anti-fire ant eradication campaign

Queensland’s fire ant eradication program is being undermined by claims from a right-wing conspiracy group that is also lobbying local councils over fluoride in water. 

Fire ants have been found in Oakey. Photos: Invasive Species Council

A right-wing conspiracy group pressuring councils to change fluoridation water treatment policies is using its network to spread claims that threaten the effectiveness of the fire ant eradication program.

The group MyPlace has taken interest in views by campaigner Trevor Hold, who criticises how s-methoprene and pyriproxyfen insecticides were being used in “an irresponsible and excessive distribution” that risked the health of people and animals.

While environment management advocates fear some residents in exclusion zones were refusing access to their properties, undermining the program, Mr Hold said they deserved alternative options.

Mr Hold moderates a Facebook group of 6000 members protesting the program, and while not a member has spoken at localised MyPlace meetings and had concerns published in the group’s latest monthly newsletter.

His six-month campaign aims to “attack the science” and to use his network to advocate the LNP Government to consider alternative methods of eradication, saying using hot water was an effective non-chemical option.

The Stop the Toxic Fire Ant Program moderated by Trevor Hold has 6000 members that are concerned about eradication measures.

“There’s a lot of other groups that are reaching out as well, because there’s a lot of mistrust in the government at the moment, and it’s not just a fire ants issue,” Mr Hold said.

Invasive Species Council advocacy manager Reece Pianta is concerned “conspiracy theories” undermine eradication measures, as he claims the people involved in eradication were being threatened.

Mr Pianta said while the group was not directly involved in treatment, it supported the measure as the best option while vouching for the pesticides’ safety, which were approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.

Posts on the Stop the Toxic Fire Ant Program Facebook group include concerns about pets’ health in the affected areas.

The pesticides were low-level in toxicity and were scientifically proven to be non-toxic to humans, animals including cats and dogs, and the environment, and were similar to those used to control mosquitoes.

“If we are going to successfully eradicate fire ants, we can’t just kill some nests, we must

destroy every nest and do it systematically,” he said.

“The battle against fire ants is a critical race against time and we can’t let misinformation and

disinformation impact public confidence and participation, this will only put lives, the

environment and our economy in danger.”

The National Fire Ant Eradication Program map of reported colonies.

He said an alternative measure of pouring hot water in nests would not be effective because it was unlikely to kill colonies’ queens, which would quickly restore their populations, while a proposed bounty could encourage their spread for monetary gain.

An overlooked property could allow the fire ants to ruin the integrity of the eradication zone and allow them to continue spreading outside monitored areas, and if unchecked could threaten their spread across the country.

Eradication efforts work inwardly from the outskirts of the greater Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich and Gold Coast area, with each property in the eradication zone being treated six times over a two-year period.

Originally published as Conspiracy group’s link to anti-fire ant eradication campaign