National Fire Ant Eradication Program finds fire ants in Bilinga, near Gold Coast Airport
Fire ants on the march are now at a Gold Coast tourist hotspot, sparking calls for the federal government to add a $24 million boost to its funding war chest to beat them back.
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Fire ants have been detected near a tourist hotspot, sparking calls for the federal government to introduce a $24 million boost to its funding war chest.
On Friday, the National Fire Ant Eradication Program said they found fire ants in Bilinga, near the Gold Coast Airport.
A statement from the program urged residents and businesses to “immediately check their properties and local areas” for the lethal insect or nests.
It said they were working with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries to ensure all nests near the border were found and “destroyed”.
“Eradicating fire ants requires a whole-of-community approach,” the statement said.
“We need everyone to look for and report fire ants, allow eradication officers property access and take steps to prevent the spread of this invasive pest.”
Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough, who supports the government’s fire ant program, said it was crucial for more funding to eradicate the species.
“A $24 million boost to federal funding would complement the Queensland investment by providing free self-treatment kits to all residents in the suppression zone,” he said.
“The $378.56 million ask is for the federal government to lock in their commitment to fund their portion of the eradication program from 2027 to 2031, beyond the curren funding date.”
Mr Gough warned the failure of the program could mean Australian households as a whole could be “slugged” with a $1.03 billion bill each year.
“Fire ants can be lethal to humans and are expected to have a $2 billion per year impact on Australia’s economy if they get out of control,” he said.
“It will devastate wildlife, cut agricultural output by up to 40 per cent and may cause over 100,000 extra medical appointments each year.
“This burden would fall on homeowners to treat their backyards, sports clubs to protect their fields and fairways and local councils to protect beaches and parks from fire ants.”
A Bulletin campaign for more federal funding to fight fight ants incursion on the Gold Coast has resulted in hundreds of millions being thrown at the problem. But city leaders have said it was still not enough.
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