Red imported Fire Ants were detected yesterday, Wednesday, 2 July, at a site in Tweed Heads. The NSW Farmers organisation is calling for ‘crackdown’ saying that ‘current biosecurity measures clearly aren’t doing the job’.
The immature (non-reproductive) nest was identified and treated yesterday and a new Biosecurity Emergency Control order will be issued establishing a 5km zone to restrict movement of high risk materials and undertake any required steps to control and treat.
‘A large team comprised of the National Program and NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development staff undertook a survey of the immediate 500 metres surrounding the site to check for any other fire ant activity,’ said a press release from Tara Moriarty, Minister for Agriculture.
Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are prohibited under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and high-risk materials are restricted from the fire ant infested areas of south-east Queensland.
The NSW government say they have taken strong steps in attacking the threat of fire ants including increasing funding under the former government of $15 million to $95 million.
‘Investigations and surveillance are underway following this [Tweed Heads] detection; however, the fact that the nest was immature, or non-productive, is reassuring,’ said NSW Chief Invasive Species Officer Scott Charlton.
Farmers not reassured
However, the NSW Farmers organisation says that the current system is failing as it is not stopping the progression of fire ants into NSW.
‘The repeated detections of fire ants in NSW are a clear sign of a colossal failure of current biosecurity measures,’ said NSW Farmers’ Biosecurity Committee Chair Tony Hegarty.
‘We’re rapidly losing the battle from one pest to another here in NSW, and the way we’re going, fire ants could well be the next threat our government fails to control.
‘The danger that red imported fire ants present to people, animals and the environment could not be more extreme,’ Mr Hegarty said.
‘Current biosecurity measures clearly aren’t doing the job, and while we’ve got $100 million in new biosecurity funding, this one pest alone could cost us $60 billion over the next 30 years,’ Mr Hegarty said.
‘The NSW government needs to get real on border biosecurity and properly vet high-risk materials coming into our borders, or else these ants are only going to keep marching on in until it’s all too late.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
