Property Rights Australia, Media Release, 28 June 2023
It should not take 67 days for Biosecurity Queensland (the lead agency for biosecurity) to respond to a report of Fire ants near Toowoomba. “What is needed is a better resourced Biosecurity Queensland and an urgent overhaul of the existing Fire ant program,” Chairman of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Jim Willmott said.
“PRA supports the views expressed by the Queensland Farmers Federation and other groups calling for a significantly better response to Fire ants recognising they are an invasive species with the capacity to negatively impact our State economy and disrupt our community’s way of life.”
Biosecurity Queensland was once a success story filled with passionate, committed, and expert staff. However, we are now seeing the results of reduced resources and blatant opportunities to consolidate functions.
“The Queensland Government says it values our primary industries, our environment and lifestyle and yet the Fire ant biosecurity threat is growing. We can see from the number of new incursions and the spread of existing diseases, pest and weeds the State government are simply playing lip service and not walking the talk,” said Mr Willmott.
Minister Mark Furner is the State government’s lead on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Communities. “Minister Furner, we need a properly funded and functioning Biosecurity System. Queensland agriculture and the community deserve so much better than a 67-day response to deal with the Fire ant menace”.
Related stories: Is government failing Australians on fire ants?: Canegrowers; Urgent call to overhaul fire ant eradication program
